Kingdom Hearts: Return of Darkness
by tsukiryoushi
Summary: Set twenty years after Sora's last adventure. Life seemed peaceful for many years, but when Maleficent returns it's up to Sora's daughter, Sky, to save the worlds! Rating may change
1. Simple And Clean

Well, here it is. My own personal sequel to Kingdom Hearts 2!

I tried my best to make the beginning the same as the beginnings of KH and KH2. So half of this chapter could have been a song-fic, had lyrics not been banned from this website. Oh well.

Anyhow, hope you enjoy this!

(I only own Sky, Koji, and this story. The original KH storyline and characters all belong to Disney/Squaresoft.)

* * *

"_The memories of a time long gone…_

_Cold they be a reflection of tings to come?_

_I've heard the stories of the past…_

_So, have I seen… my future?"_

As these words passed through her mind Sky felt herself floating… as though she was underwater.

But she wasn't underwater. Rather, she floated in a sea of shadow.

Sky thought there was no end to the shadows, but they were finally swept away by a sudden burst of light. When Sky's eyes adjusted to the light, she found herself on the beach. She looked behind her to see the familiar island where she had played her entire life.

She looked out to the sea and saw a figure. It was a boy her age with dark hair.

He turned to her and held out his hand, but Sky saw a tidal wave headed straight for them.

She tried to run to him, but the distance between then seemed endless. For a split second, Sky thought she saw a different boy instead of the one she saw first. One with whit hair, instead of dark.

The wave crashed down and Sky and the boy were submerged. Sky, now only a short distance away from the boy, tried desperately to grab his hand, as he stood like a statue, hand outstretched.

But just when it seemed Sky would succeed, a strong current carried her away.

Before she could figure out what had happened, Sky came to the surface of the water. She gasped for air and looked around to see that she was now on another beach. She looked to the shore and saw her father.

He turned and smiled at her, but Sky noticed that he looked different… younger. The way he looked in pictures her mother had shown her of him at the age of sixteen.

Sky would have walked up to him, but a sudden burst of light blinded her.

When she was finally able to open her eyes, Sky found that she was once again somewhere new. This time she was in the secret place her father had shown her years ago. In front of her was her mother, but she was also younger. Perhaps fourteen.

Sky looked at her mother's younger self, who looked dazed for some reason. A door behind her opened and a strong wind blew her off her feet and towards Sky, but before Sky could catch her she disappeared.

Sky, too, was blown off her feet.

She suddenly felt herself falling right back into the shadow she had floated in only a few minutes earlier.

She fell, slowly of swiftly, she did not know. But soon her fall came to a stop. She landed on her feet, ever so softly, but only found darkness all around.

But then, something started to come off the ground all around her and fly away. She soon realized they were doves.

By the time all the doves had flown away an image on the ground had been revealed. Sky looked down to see it was like a round stained-glass window. The picture on it was a familiar boy with brown spiky hair, holding a key-like weapon. Next to him were smaller pictures of a boy with white hair, a girl with red hair, a duck, and a dog.

---

Sky stood on this image, admiring it.

_Wow_ she thought. _Isn't that… my dad? And mom, and Uncle Riku, and Uncle Goofy and Uncle Donald too._

Sky gazed at the younger versions of her family, but most of all at the image of her father. That must have been what he looked like at fifteen. Her age.

Sky thought about her own appearance. Her clothes were much different than what her father used to wear. While he wore baggy red pants, seemingly oversized shoes, a shirt and a jacket, she wore blue jeans, brown boots which went almost to her knees, a green t-shirt with light purple-ish with sleeves and a purple heart on the front, and a black armband.

But Sky could see that her father's features, as well as her mother's, resembled her own.

Her eyes were the same blue as her parent's and her hair was a reddish brown, a mix of her father's brown hair and her mother's red hair. Her hair was long, but always tied back in a ponytail. The shape of her hair was somewhat wild like her dad's but just as feminine as her mom's.

Her face greatly resembled her dad's, but possessed her mom's most feminine features, namely, her lips, nose, and eyebrows.

Sky could have stared at the image all day, but heard a voice… one she couldn't identify, yet was oddly familiar. Like an old friend.

_Sky, your journey will begin soon. But first you must prepare. You will need to decide what your strength is._

Sky looked behind her and saw three weapons seated on pedestals. A sword, a shield, and a wand. Each held the insignia of the King, her Uncle Mickey.

She walked over to the sword and took it in her hand. She heard the voice again.

_The path of the warrior, strong and courageous. But be careful, for power can easily overtake someone with a weak heart. Do you choose this power?_

Sky nodded. The sword disappeared, but she knew it would be there when she needed it.

She knew somehow that next she must decide on a power to give up. She walked over to the wand and picked it up next.

_The path of magic, the path of an ancient art. But be warned, it is a mysterious path, and sometimes treacherous. Do you give up this power?_

She nodded once again, and the wand disappeared, as did it's pedestal.

Next, she picked up the shield.

_The path of the defender, the strength to defend all you hold dear. But also, this strength can repel those close to you. This power will assist you on your journey._

Sky was glad of that. She knew giving up magic was no big deal, as she had trained in magic with her Uncle Donald, Merlin, and even Master Yen-Sid. She would need defense and offense for what lay ahead. But… what _does_ lie ahead?

The voice spoke again.

_There will be times when you must fight, but don't be afraid…_

Sky sensed a presence behind her and turned to see a shadowy being. She instinctively took prepared to fight and the sword appeared in her hands. She swung the blade at the creature and it disappeared.

Sky turned and saw a chest sitting nearby. She opened it and found a key inside.

She picked it up and wondered what it was for, until she saw a door appear in front of her.

She walked up to it and put the key in the lock. She was about to open it when she heard the voice again.

_This door is the first of many you must go through. Are you ready for what lies beyond?_

Sky answered yes and opened the door.

She walked through and entered a place similar to the last, except for the ground which held two images. One, a heart with an "X" in it, and the other, an upside-down heart topped with a cross shape.

Suddenly, Sky felt a tremor.

She looked up and saw two large figures appear. One was shadowy, with bright yellow eyes and a heart-shaped hole in its middle. The other was dressed in a baggy white outfit.

Sky prepared to fight the two, when suddenly the white creature seemed to go flat, as though all it was was the baggy outfit with nothing inside.

The white material wrapped around the shadowy creature, and the two seemed to merge together.

Now, instead of the two large creatures, one gigantic creature stood in front of Sky.

It looked like a mummy, wrapped in white material, and what little you could see beneath the wrappings was pure shadow. One ghastly yellow eye was visible, and it glared at Sky.

Sky didn't wait any longer. She lunged at the creature and swung her sword.

The creature tried blocking, but Sky hit it several times.

Sky stepped back momentarily to catch her breath, but had to jump out of the way of a blast of dark energy from the creature.

Sky looked up and noticed something. Somehow, Sky could see a weak spot on the creature's chest, almost as though she had locked onto it with some kind of targeting system.

She jumped up towards the creature and sliced at its chest with the sword. Time seemed to slow momentarily, until Sky landed on the ground again.

She looked up and saw that the creature was falling… and falling right towards her!

She jumped out of the way just in time, only to suddenly find herself sinking in a pool of darkness.

Sky struggled, but it was no use. She started to panic until she heard the voice again.

_The darkness may seem overwhelming at times Sky, but don't be afraid…_

_Darkness is nothing more than the absence of light. Light which you possess…_

_Your journey begins soon Sky. It will seem long, yet time will pass swiftly. It will seem hard, but you will make it through with ease._

_Sky…_

All sky could see now was darkness, and all she could hear was the voice.

_Remember Sky…_

_You are the one…_

_The one who will find the light…_

…_Beyond the door…_

---

Sound…

That was the one thing Sky now noticed had been absent all this time.

She had heard the sounds of the battle with the creature, and her footsteps, and the faint whisper of the voice, but all other sound was missing. Sky found this strange, as she always heard some sound or other.

But now, as she felt herself waking up, sound returned. The sound of the ocean, the sound of the wind rustling through the palm trees, birds flying through the air… She heard it all and couldn't help but smile.

These were the familiar sounds of Destiny Islands, her home.

Sky opened her eyes slightly and sat up, taking in the sight of the beach where she now napped. She was told her father had used to fall asleep here too. Sky just supposed she'd inherited her father's love of napping on the beach.

Napping… that sounded good to Sky. Despite the fact she'd already slept a good while.

She stretched a bit and laid back down on the sand, curling up in a ball and drifting back to sleep.

But her rest was interrupted by a sudden noise.

"Sky!"

Sky jumped and sat up immediately, now wide awake from the shock. She looked around and saw a boy standing above her.

"Sleeping again, huh?" He said, shaking his head. "Geez Sky, don't you get enough sleep at night? Or are you just lazy?"

"Give me a break Koji." She replied with a yawn. "I was just having a dream, that's all." It was then that Sky remembered the part of her dream with the dark-haired boy. She suddenly realized that that boy was Koji!

She looked up at her life-long friend and wondered why she didn't realize that.

Koji, the son of her father's friend Riku, was 16, and looked almost exactly like his father did at that age. The only real difference was his hair, which was a dark black instead of white. His hair had been inherited from his mother, Hanna.

He wore dark grey jeans, black tennis shoes, a yellow t-shirt, and a light jacket which may have been dark blue at one time, but had faded.

"What were you dreaming about?" Koji asked.

"Oh," Sky shook her head and turned her attention away from Koji. "Well, it was pretty weird. A lot of stuff was going on, but I'm not sure what any of it meant. My parents were in it, and so was your dad. And you were too."

Koji gave Sky a mischievous grin. "Oh, so _I _was in it, huh? Just what kind of dreams are you having Sky?"

"What? Eew! Koji, you pervert, get your mind out of the gutter!"

Koji had a good laugh at Sky's expense. "Yeah, sure, deny it. Anyway, we'd better go meet up with our parents. They're setting up the picnic right now and sent me to get you Miss Rip Van Winkle."

"The picnic? Oh, I almost forgot about that."

"Well it's almost ready so come on!"

Sky nodded and stood up.

The two began walking but Sky stopped, causing Koji to stop as well.

"What now?" He asked.

"Um, Koji…" Sky said.

"Yeah?"

A grin formed on Sky's face. "I'll race you there!"

As Sky ran ahead Koji smiled. She always did things like that to get a head start.

Koji ran after her and the two raced down the beach, just as their parents had done nearly twenty years before.

* * *

Hope you liked it! In the next chapter I'll bring in Sora and the others, so you can see what they're like twenty years older.

Plus, I'll introduce the newest Disney characters to join the KH crew.

See ya then, and please review!


	2. Family Ties

Here's the next chapter, enjoy!

(I only own Sky, Koji, Hanna, and PrinceMatthew. Everything else is property ofDisney and/or SquareEnix.)

* * *

Sky and Koji finally made it to the other side of the island, where Sora and Kairi were setting up the picnic.

"It's about time you two got here!" Sora called with a smile as he spread out the blanket. Over the years not much about Sora had changed. His face, though still youthful, showed a few signs of aging, a line here or there, but with his hair as spiky as ever he looked almost the same. As for his wardrobe, Sora had traded in his clothes from the good fairies for a blue sweater and jeans. But he still kept his old outfit in a special place in case he ever needed them again. His shoes, while a little more conservative now, still seemed slightly too big for his feet.

"You're just in time," Said Kairi, as she set some food down on the blanket. "I hope you're all hungry." Kairi, in terms of facial features, seemed as unchanged as Sora. Her hair was about an inch or two longer than it used to be, and, with the exception of today, was usually tied into a bun or ponytail. Her face was as pretty as ever, with the addition of a wise, knowing look to her eyes which often comes with being a parent. She wore a light purple sweater with a light pink stripe running horizontally across her chest, and a long skirt, which almost reached her sandaled feet. Around her neck she wore the gold necklace Sora had given her on their wedding day.

"Wow, the food looks great Mom." Said Sky, as she and the others sat down.

"Yeah," Koji agreed. "But where's Mom and Dad?"

"Here we are!" A voice called. Koji turned to see his father, Riku, and his mother, Hanna walking up carrying some soda. "We were getting some soda for everyone." Hanna explained as she and Riku sat down. Hanna, Riku's wife, had met him in high school when she was an exchange student from another town. They began dating and the rest is history. Hanna had long dark hair and green eyes. She wore a dark purple shirt with long sleeves, a pair of black slacks, and sandals on her feet.

"Well, we're all here," Said Riku. "Let's dig in." Riku was perhaps the most changed of the group. His hair had stayed long for many years, but shortly after he and Hanna got married he cut it, so it was now the same length as it was when he was sixteen. He often forgot to shave, so he usually had five o'clock shadow. He wore faded jeans, a white t-shirt, and a denim jacket.

As Riku suggested, the group began to eat.

"So, did you kids have a good day?" Sora asked.

"Yep." Koji replied. "Especially Sky. Apparently she's been dreaming about me."

"Koji!" Sky shouted. "I told you already, it wasn't _that _kind of dream!"

Koji could just laugh at the way Sky blushed.

"Don't tell me you were napping again." Said Kairi, with a shake of her head. "Honestly, you and your father, always napping."

"_And _dreaming about the opposite sex." Riku added. "Don't think I didn't notice all those times you called out Kairi's name in your sleep when we shared a dorm in college Sora." Now both Sky _and_ Sora blushed, causing everyone to laugh.

The rest of the picnic went in pretty much the same way. They all joked together, talked about current events, and just had fun.

This was nothing new, for they were all a close family and enjoyed each-other's company.

The sun soon set, the food and picnic blanket were picked up, and everyone enjoyed some sea-salt ice-cream while they sat on or around the Paupu tree and gazed at the stars.

As Sky enjoyed her ice-cream she glanced over at the others. Her mother and her father, her closest and most beloved family, sat side-by-side. Sky smiled at the way they were still so in love after nearly thirty-some years together. She also smiled when she thought of how her Uncle Riku and Aunt Hanna had such a fun, loving relationship.

Then she thought of Koji.

All their lives she and Koji had been close. In some ways they were like cousins. In some, brother and sister. But most importantly, they were friends. Sky found herself staring at him, as he leaned against the tree she now sat on.

There was something different about him now, but Sky couldn't put her finger on it…

Only when she felt cold ice-cream melting on her hands did Sky snap out of her daze. She just shook her head and shrugged it off. _It's just my imagination. _She thought to herself.

She gazed up at the stars with awe. No matter how many times she saw them they always seemed new to her. She gasped when she saw a shooting star and instinctively closed her eyes to make a wish.

---

It was a bright day in the Amazon Rainforest, and at the old Mayan temple, now used as a mall, was abuzz with activity.

Several creatures were going about either buying or selling, but none more than one in particular. Namely: Brandy Harrington.

Brandy Harrington, a dog from Florida, was used to buying whatever she wanted, and today was no exception. As she walked she held several bags filled with clothes.

"Ah, what a lovely day for shopping." She said. "Don't you think so Lola?" She turned back to the snake slithering next to her.

"Si," Lola Boa replied in her usual accent. "Except you're the one doing all the shopping."

"Oh, you're right. How come you never buy any clothes?"

"Brandy, I'm a snake. I have no arms or legs, what am I going to where except for socks?" Brandy just shrugged. "Hey, where is Whiskers?"

"Oh, I dunno. Probably off somewhere, lost."

Meanwhile, in another part of the mall…

"Looks like we're lost again Ed." Said Mr. Whiskers. Whiskers was a rabbit, and while he had a heart of gold, he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. In fact, it was he who had stranded himself and Brandy in the rainforest in the first place, and now he stood staring at the mall directory.

"You can't figure anything out from the directory?" Ed the Otter, Whisker's friend, asked.

"No, all it says is 'you are here.' We already know that, but where _is_ 'here'?"

"I may not know much about mall directories Mr. Whiskers, but I believe when it says 'you are here' it refers to where our location is on the map, in comparison to our local in the mall itself. So all we have to do is locate the place we want to go and we'll know which way to go."

"Oh! That's brilliant Ed! Now let's see…" Whiskers traced a path on the map. "Aha! We need to go that way to get to the Monkey Wax store!"

"Well, I am relieved that you know the direction Mr. Whiskers. But uh… which way is 'that way'?"

"Ohoho, that's easy Ed! It's that…" Whiskers was about to point in a direction, when he realized that, while he knew the direction on the map, the actual mall was not as easy to determine. "Uh… uh oh…" Whiskers looked again and saw that the path they needed to take went left on the directory, so using what little reasoning power he had he decided left was the way to go. "That-a-way Ed!" Whiskers pointed left and he and the otter head that way.

However, after just a few minutes the two were more lost than ever.

"Don't worry Ed," Whiskers said with a smile. "We won't be lost for long. We're bound to stumble across something!" By sheer coincidence, a nearby monkey had just finished a banana and had flung the peel to the ground, right where Whiskers stepped on it. With a scream he slid right into a wall, breaking through it and into the room beyond.

Ed followed and helped Whiskers out of the rubble of the wall.

"Are you okay Mr. Whiskers?" Ed asked.

"Oh sure, I'm alright Ed." Whiskers replied.

The two looked around and found that the room they were now in appeared to have been abandoned a long time. Whiskers stepped further in and saw in the darkness something odd on the wall.

"Hey Ed," He said in awe. "What's that?"

"It appears to be a keyhole Mr. Whiskers." Ed replied.

And he was right. It was a keyhole… but to what, neither of them knew.

"Wow…" Said Whiskers. "I wonder what it does…"

Whiskers was about to put his hand on the keyhole when he heard a familiar voice. **"Whiskers!" **He and Ed turned to see Brandy and Lola walk into the room. "What are you doing? How could you break a hole in the wall… _again_!"

"Brandy!" Whiskers greeted. "How'd you find us?"

"I followed your scent."

"Wow, you followed my scent? It's almost like you were some kind of dog or something!"

"First off Whisker, I _am _a dog! Second, **_anyone _**could track _your _scent!"

Whiskers sniffed for a moment. "Oh, I guess you're right."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Oh, Brandy! You'll never believe it! We found a giant keyhole in the wall! Look!"

Brandy looked up at the keyhole. "So?" She asked, unimpressed. "It's just a stone carving. They're all over this place!"

"B-b-but Brandy! There's something weird about this carving, I can feel it!"

"Whiskers, _you_ are the only weird one here. Now let's go before you cause any more damage!"

"But… oh alright."

Brandy, Lola and Ed left the room and Whiskers followed, giving one last glance back at the keyhole.

There was _definitely _something very weird about it.

---

Afternoon at Disney Castle. As bright and peaceful as ever.

Donald walked down the hall as usual, making his rounds around the Castle. (That's what _he _called it anyway. All he was really doing was walking around looking important.)

Donald soon came to the throne room where he found King Mickey pacing back and forth.

"Good afternoon Your Majesty." Donald quacked with a bow. "Is something wrong?"

"No Donald." Mickey replied. "I'm just wondering why my son hasn't shown up yet. I called him here fifteen minutes ago. Would you go and see what's keeping him?"

"Certainly Your Majesty." Donald bowed again and left the room.

After some more walking, Donald came to the room of Prince Matthew, the son of King Mickey and Queen Minnie. The young prince, being eighteen years old, was something of a rebel, so showing up late to an appointment, or not showing up right away when he was called on was nothing new.

Donald knocked on the door. "Prince Matthew?" He called. "His Majesty would like to see you. Prince Matthew?" There was no reply. Donald tried the door and found it unlocked. He wondered if he should go in or not. He knew he should respect the Prince's privacy, but then again the King had asked him to see why he hadn't responded to his call. Donald finally opened the door and looked inside.

But the Prince was nowhere to be seen.

"What?" Donald asked aloud. "Where is he?" It was then that Donald noticed something on the floor. An envelope that said "To Father."

_Oh no!_ Donald thought. _It _can't _be! This just_ can't_ be happening again!_

Donald slowly picked up the envelope and opened it. He hesitantly began to read the letter inside.

_Oh Please don't be what I think it is…_ He thought.

After only reading a few lines Donald ran out of the room quacking at the top of his lungs.

He ran out to the garden where he knew Goofy was napping, as always.

"Goofy!" He shouted. "Wake up! We've got an emergency! The Prince is…" Donald stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed Mickey and Minnie standing next to Goofy.

_How do they _do _that! _Donald asked himself, chuckling nervously as the King and Queen stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

* * *

Ooh, cliffie! Where has the Prince gone? What does the letter say?What is the mysterious Keyhole? What is Sky's part in all of this? All will be revealed in upcoming chapters!

I hope I did okay describing how Sora, Kairi, and Riku look, and more importantly, I hope I depicted their older selves well. Please tell me what you think!

Oh, and I realize the part with Brandy and Mr. Whiskers may have been rushed. Sorry.

REVIEW!


	3. This world has been connected

Hi again! Here's another update for you!

And a big thanks to Beast Boy&Anakin Skywalker, yukisgrlfriend, and Kairiku Aura for reviewing. I really appreciate it!

(I don't own anything but Sky, Koji, Hanna, Matthew, and Donna. Everything else is somebody else's property.)

* * *

Sky arrived on the island and found Koji hard at work building something.

"How's the raft so far?" She asked.

"Good," Koji replied. "It's off to a good start. No thanks to you miss always-late-for-everything." He turned to her with a grin. "Where've you been anyway?"

"Hey, I've gotta eat!"

"Oh, excuses, excuse." Sky tried to act mad but couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, since you're here now let's get to work."

"Right!"

Koji returned to work, trying to attach a sail to the raft he and Sky had decided to build, and Sky started helping.

This raft, which they would call Highwind 2, was supposed to be a present for their parents. Koji and Sky had heard stories about their parents, and how they had grown up together and tried to build a raft to travel to other worlds in. Of course, they all soon learned a simple raft would never have taken them to any other worlds, but the memory of the days spent building that raft still brought a smile to Sora, Kairi, and Riku's faces. Koji and Sky loved those stories so much that they decided to build their own raft, as a tribute to their parents.

After a few hours of working, the raft was halfway finished. All that needed to be done now was to put up the sail and add the finishing touches. But now the sun was setting, so the two decided to call it a day. They sat down on the end of the dock and watched the sun go down before heading home.

"I can't believe it's almost finished!" Said Sky. "I can't wait for everyone to see it! I wonder, do you think Uncle Mickey and the others will be able to come see it?"

"I don't know." Koji replied. "I think they may be a little busy with the kingdom lately. I hope they can though."

"Yeah, me too." Sky looked out at the sunset. It reminded her of the sunset behind her mom and dad in a picture of them when they were younger.

Thinking about her parents made Sky automatically touch the star shaped object made from thalassa shells hanging from her neck.

Her mother's lucky charm. The same one her father had carried during his adventures. It had led him back to her, and now it was Sky's most prized possession. Ever since her parents gave it to her for her birthday two years ago, it had never left her sight except when she slept.

"Koji?" She said. "Have you ever thought about the future?"

"Huh?" He looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"I was just wondering… have you ever thought about the future? Have you ever tried to imagine where your life would take you?" Koji paused for a moment before nodding. "Well… what do you see?"

"Well… I'm not really sure. The future's kinda far off, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but you know, I've thought about it a lot and…" Sky tried to think of what she wanted to say next, but couldn't. "…Never mind." She smiled and shook her head. "It's stupid."

The two returned to watching the sunset until Koji broke the silence again. "Hey Sky…"

Sky turned to him. "Yeah?"

Koji smiled warmly at her. "Whatever the future holds is far away… but we're here now. And I'm glad we're here together."

Sky returned the smile. "Me too."

The sun finally set over Destiny Islands, and the stars began twinkling. Sky moved close to Koji and leaned softly against him. For that minute, everything seemed perfect.

---

After Donald had reluctantly told the King and Queen about the letter he found, he, King Mickey, Queen Minnie, Goofy, Daisy, and Donna, Donald and Daisy's daughter, had all gathered in the Royal Library to hear what the letter said.

The king read it out loud for everyone to here. It read:

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I'm sorry to have left so suddenly, without telling anyone, but I had to leave._

_Something is happening, though I'm not sure what exactly. I can't explain it, but something in my heart tells me that there is a danger approaching. A danger I have to help stop._

_Please, don't try to find me, because I'm fairly certain it will be impossible. I'll be back, I promise, but for now you must trust me._

_I'm so sorry if I've worried you Mom and Dad, but please try to understand, I have to do this._

_Love,_

_Matthew_

_p.s. expect company._

"I don't understand." Said Donna. "Why wouldn't he tell me anything?" Donna, seventeen years old, was a year younger than the prince. The two had grown up together in the palace and were close friends.

"And more importantly," Said King Mickey, as he consoled Minnie. "Is what could have made him leave like this?"

"He said something about there being some kind of danger," Daisy added. "But what could he have meant by that?"

"I don't know," Donald replied. "But we'd better find him quick."

"But, uh, where do we start lookin' for him?" Goofy pondered.

"I'm afraid it would be useless to try." Said Mickey.

"But Mickey," Minnie protested. "We can't just not do anything."

"I know, but Matthew was right. There's no way we can find him. He could be anywhere by now. I know from experience how easy it is to not be found when you don't want to be."

Donald and Goofy sighed heavily. They remembered all too well just how well their King had kept from being found.

"So what do we do now?" Daisy asked.

Mickey pondered a moment before turning to Donald and Goofy.

"Matthew said there was danger coming," He said. "So the three of us should head to Destiny Islands and tell Sora and the others what's up."

"**Right!" **Donald and Goofy replied.

Mickey turned to the queen. "Minnie…"

"Don't worry," Said Minnie. "We can handle things here. Just be careful."

"We will." Mickey hugged Minnie and turned to the others. "Donald, Goofy, let's go."

The two nodded.

"Daisy, Donna," Donald turned to his wife and daughter. "I'll be back soon."

"We know." Daisy replied with a smile.

"Be careful Daddy." Donna added.

After saying their goodbyes, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy headed down to the Gummi garage, where the royal Gummi ship was waiting.

---

Whiskers and Brandy returned home to their tree house after the incident in the mall just as it began raining.

Whiskers watched out the window as the rain fell and nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a crack of thunder.

"Brandy," He said. "Don't you find this weather odd?"

"Um, considering the fact that we live in the _rain_forest, not really." Brandy replied as she put away her new clothes.

"But Brandy, I'm telling you: there was something weird about that keyhole we found. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach!"

"Whisker's _anything_ you feel in the pit of _your_ stomach is bad news. But trust me; there is nothing weird about that keyhole."

"Oh yeah? Well that's the same thing you said about that vampire bat!"

"Yeah, and I was right then too, remember?"

"…Oh… right. But I tell you this may be the one time I'm right!" Whiskers continued watching the rain.

Brandy turned to him with a mixture of disgust, annoyance, and pity. "Look, Whiskers, if it means that much to you we'll just go back to the mall and investigate. Maybe then you'll see that there is nothing ominous about it and you'll let me have some peace."

"Really!" Whiskers jumped away from the window and landed in front of Brandy. "Well let's get going!" Whiskers ran out the door. But because he forgot yet again that it was a tree house, he fell to the ground with a scream.

Brandy sighed. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret this."

Moments later, the two were making their way to the mall, carrying umbrellas.

"I was right." Brandy mumbled. "I regret this. A lot. _Sure Brandy, why not humor Whiskers and go trudging through the rain to investigate a stupid carving! _Ugh, what was I thinking?"

"Oh, cheer up Brandy," Whiskers said with a smile. "Just think of this as an adventure!"

"I'd rather think of going home and thinking up ways of hurting you as my adventure. I mean, come on Whiskers, just what do you expect? That this keyhole is some ancient powerful thing that will attract strange beings bent on world domination! Oof!" Brandy bumped into Whiskers. "Why'd you stop?" Whiskers just pointed ahead. Brandy looked to see a shadowy figure standing in the rain. It simply stood there and stared at them with its glimmering yellow eyes. "Whiskers… what is that?"

"I don't know Brandy." Whiskers replied quietly. "But I don't think it's friendly…"

Brandy and Whiskers tried to back away from the odd creature but found themselves surrounded by more of them.

"What now Brandy?" Whiskers asked as the things drew closer, getting ready to attack.

"Well, it looks like there's only one course of action." Brandy replied. "And that is to… **RUN!**"

You didn't have to tell Whiskers twice. He and Brandy ran as fast as they could, dropping their umbrellas, and broke through the surrounding creatures.

As they ran through the rainforest, the two noticed that the shadowy beings were everywhere, and seemed to be multiplying. Brandy dared to look up and saw through a break in the clouds that a dark, giant orb was now hovering over them.

They kept running until they reached the mall.

"Hello?" Brandy called. "We need some help!" No one answered. Somehow the mall, which just a short time ago had been packed with all kinds of animals, was now empty and dark. Brandy suddenly realized that the entire jungle had seemed the same: empty.

Where did everyone go? And why were they the only ones left?

"Brandy!" Whiskers called. "They're coming!" And he was right. Hundreds of the shadowy things were heading for the mall entrance. "We have to get to the keyhole! I don't know why, but I have a feeling that that's where we need to go!"

"Whatever!" Brandy replied. "As long as we get away from those things!"

The two ran again and soon made it to the hole in the wall which Whiskers had made earlier.

They stepped through and walked up to the keyhole.

"Now what?" Brandy asked. What are those things, and why are they attacking? Where did Lola, Ed and the others go?"

"I don't know, but I do know this keyhole has something to do with it!" Whiskers replied.

Brandy stared up at the keyhole. Maybe Whiskers was right after all.

"This world has been connected…" A dark voiced echoed in the small dark room.

"Who's there!" Brandy called out. But no one answered.

Suddenly, a clicking sound came out of the keyhole, and a burst of dark energy started pouring out of it.

It filled the room and threatened to bury Brandy and Whiskers.

"Brandy!" Whiskers called out, trying to reach her. But he couldn't get to her. The darkness filled the room and soon everything went blank.

---

Sky sat at her window and looked up at the stars, as she did every night. But there was something strange about one star tonight. It seemed to flicker and fade in and out. Finally, it disappeared altogether, as though it had never existed.

"What?" Sky asked, as she stared at the blank spot where the star had once been. "The star went out? How is that possible?" She looked out over the ocean and noticed an odd green mist had settled, shrouding the island so that she could barely see it. Just as Sky was about to find her parents to tell them about it she heard a knock at the door.

She ran downstairs and opened it and was surprised to see who was there.

"Uncle Mickey!" She called, hugging the mouse in front of her. She looked up to see Goofy and Donald were with him. She tackled all three of them in a hug which they gladly returned. "What're you doing here?" She asked, finally releasing them.

"I'm afraid we're not here about a visit." Mickey replied apologetically. "Something's going on, and we need to talk to your parents about it."

---

Later, after Sora, Kairi, Riku, Hanna, and Koji had joined them, Mickey explained what had happened at Disney Castle, and what he had read in Matthew's letter.

"We thought if something was up we'd better tell all of you." Said Mickey. "But now that we're here, I have a bad feeling that something is wrong."

"Like what?" Kairi asked.

"I'm not sure. Have any of you noticed anything unusual?" Sora and the others shook their heads, except for Sky.

"I have." She said. "Just before you got here, I saw a star go out." The others' jaws dropped.

"But don't that mean a world's disappeared?" Goofy asked. Donald nodded.

"If a world's disappeared," Mickey continued. "Then the Heartless must be involved."

"The Heartless?" Sora exclaimed. "But I thought we'd beaten them when we beat Xemnas!"

"Darkness lives in every heart." Said Riku. "The Heartless will always exist as long as there are those willing to submit to the darkness."

"But who could be controlling them?" Hanna asked.

Mickey shook his head. "I'm not sure. But whoever they are, they must be planning something. Sky, was there anything else?"

"Yes," Sky replied, somewhat ashamed she hadn't mentioned it before. "I looked out at the island after the star went out and saw a weird mist covering it."

"The island?" Koji asked. "Isn't that where you said the Heartless showed up in our world the first time?"

Sora nodded. "And if they're back, then that may be where they'll show up again."

"All right then." Said Mickey. We'll head to the island and check it out."

Sora and the others nodded and prepared to leave.

Sky was more than ready to go with them but Sora stopped her. "Sky, stay here." He said.

"What? Why?" Sky protested. "I can help you!"

"I know, but I want you to stay here where it's safe, okay?"

"But Dad…"

"No buts." Kairi added. "We need you to stay here Sky, okay?"

"Oh…" Sky lowered her head. "Okay. I'll stay here."

Sora and Kairi smiled and hugged her.

"You stay here too Koji." Said Riku. "Someone needs to stay behind and help Sky take care of everything."

"But…" Koji would have objected, but one look from Riku was enough to tell him it was useless. "…Fine."

"Don't think I'm staying here." Said Hanna, causing Riku to turn to look at her. "So don't even try convincing me otherwise."

Riku smiled. "I wouldn't think of it."

"All right then," Said Sora. "Let's go!"

Sora and the others walked out the door, leaving Koji and Sky alone.

"Argh!" Sky grunted. "It's not fair! Why should they get to go but we have to stay here!"

Rather than answer, Koji just stood silent.

---

As soon as they reached the island, Sora and the others began looking around for any sign of the Heartless. But other than the mist, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"It doesn't look like the Heartless are here…" Said Sora.

"Keep on your guard." Said Riku. "There's definitely something here… something dark."

The others nodded and began watching for any sign of danger.

Sora held his Keyblade ready, as did Mickey. Riku held his Way to the Dawn tight in his hands, Goofy held up his shield, and Donald held up his wand. Kairi and Hanna, having no weapons, brought up the rear of the group.

Hanna heard something behind her and turned to look.

With a gasp she tried to warn the others, but it was too late.

Kairi looked over at Hanna and was horrified to see she wasn't moving at all. She screamed causing the others to spin around and face her.

"What happened?" Donald asked.

"I don't know," Kairi replied. "Something happened to Hanna. She's… frozen!"

Riku rushed to Hanna and looked her over. She hadn't actually been frozen, but for some reason she was as still as a statue. She had a terrified look on her face as though she'd seen something horrible right before she was paralyzed.

"A pity about her…" A sinister voice said, seemingly out of no-where. Sora and the others tried to find the source of the voice but saw nothing. "She had nothing to do with my plans. Oh well, the more the merrier."

"Show yourself!" Riku shouted.

"Calm yourself Riku, is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"Old friend…?" Sora asked. "Who are you!"

"You don't remember me? I'm hurt. After all, if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't be alive today."

"What? But that means…"

"Yes Sora, you finally remember. Now, after all these years my revenge will be complete!"

An orb of green light appeared in front of Sora and the others, and a dark figure began to emerge from the mist…

---

Sky tapped her foot as she stood in her living room waiting for her parents to return. While Koji just sat on the couch.

"Where are they?" Sky asked impatiently. "They should have been back by now."

Koji looked out the window with a worried look on his face. "I know…" He finally stood up and walked to the door. "Something is wrong." He walked out the door without another word.

Sky ran after him. "Koji, wait!" She followed him all the way to the beach, where he prepared his boat. "Koji, what are you doing?"

"I'm going after them." He replied, as he got into his boat. "Something's not right, and I'm going to find out what."

"But Koji, we were told to stay here!"

"Then you can stay here if you want. But I'm going to the island."

"Koji!"

"Stay safe Sky!" Koji called as his boat floated away.

"Koji, you…!" She didn't get to finish. He was already too far away. "Ooh that jerk." Sky gritted her teeth. What was she supposed to do now?

Sky finally made up her mind. She returned to her house, but only stayed long enough to find her father's old wooden sword. _If I'm going I may as well be armed. _She thought, as she ran back to the beach and readied her own boat.

---

When Sky finally made it to the island, she found Koji's boat and the others' boats as well, but couldn't find anyone.

"Where is everyone?" She asked herself as she walked down the beach.

The mist made it hard to see anything for a distance ahead of her, so Sky almost bumped into something.

"What the…?" She wondered out loud. "A statue? Out here?" She looked closer and found that this statue looked a lot like her aunt Hanna.

But then Sky realized it was Hanna! She looked ahead and saw more still figures. Donald, Goofy, Mickey, even her mother and Riku!

"Oh no." She gasped. "What happened here?"

"They've been frozen in time." A voice answered. "So that they can be taken back to the palace."

Sky turned to see a cloaked figure standing in front of her.

"Who are you?" She demanded. "And what did you do to my family?"

"I did nothing. It was my master who wished to capture them. Now only one remains."

"What? Who is your master? And what do you mean only one remains?"

The figure chuckled. "Why not head to the other side of the island, and find out for yourself?" And with that, the figure disappeared. When Sky turned to see her frozen family again they, too, were gone.

Suddenly, several shadow Heartless appeared out of shadows on the ground.

With the wooden sword Sky fought her way through them and headed for the other side of the island.

---

Sora attacked his enemy with all he had, but somehow it wasn't enough.

He was thrown back and the Keyblade was knocked out of his hand.

"What's wrong Sora?" His enemy asked, as they stood over him. "Have you gotten weak after all these years?"

Sora looked up at the person who now looked down at him with a smile.

"Look who's talking you old hag." Sora replied. "I beat you before, and I can beat you again… Maleficent!"

Maleficent simply laughed. "Poor fool. If you had defeated me, why have I returned? Face it Sora, you merely delayed my inevitable triumph. And now I will have my revenge. You and your friends are now mine! And you shall all soon bow to me!" The dark leader of the Heartless paused as she heard someone run up. "Speaking of which, your darling daughter has arrived." Sora turned to see Sky run up. She tried to attack Maleficent, but was thrown back by a blast of dark magic. "My, my… what a beautiful child she is. How sad that she must share your fate Sora."

"Leave her alone!" Sora shouted.

"Silence!" Maleficent pointed her staff at Sora, causing him to freeze. "I grow tired of this. Now this world shall end, and my revenge shall be complete!"

With a wave of Maleficent's hand Sora disappeared.

"Dad!" Sky called. She turned to Maleficent. "Bring him back!"

"Do not worry yourself." Maleficent replied. "You shall be reunited soon. But first, to claim my prize: the Keyblade."

Maleficent turned to the Keyblade, which was still on the ground nearby. But it disappeared. "What?" She exclaimed. She turned to Sky as the Keyblade reappeared in her hand.

Sky was just as surprised as Maleficent. How had the Keyblade appeared in her hand like that? And why?

"No!" Maleficent shouted. "The Keyblade is mine!" She fired a blast of green fire at Sky, only to have it deflected by the Keyblade.

_Impossible! _Maleficent thought. _How could she have deflected that attack, even _with _the Keyblade?_

Maleficent composed herself and looked at Sky with a cold emotionless look on her face. "It seems there is a change in plans." She said. "But I will still have my revenge."

"Wait!" Sky called, as Maleficent began to disappear. "Bring my family back!" But it was no use. Maleficent was gone. "What do I do now? How did the Keyblade appear in my hands?"

Suddenly the ground began to shake, as a giant Heartless appeared in front of Sky.

It was the same giant Heartless from her dream, with the heart shaped hole in its middle.

Finally, it dawned on Sky. The Keyblade had chosen her father when he was needed, so perhaps it had chosen her this time.

Sky no longer hesitated. She jumped up and swung the Keyblade at the heartless, slashing at its arm, then its chest.

Sky managed several blows, but nothing seemed to work. Then she remembered something Phil had once said during one of her visits to Olympus. _"When facing a large enemy, attack the eyes. No one can train their eyes."_

Armed with her new strategy, Sky jumped up and aimed for the creature's yellow eyes.

With this final blow, the Heartless fell and disappeared.

But the ground began shaking again and Sky almost fell over. But someone caught her.

She looked up and smiled to see Koji.

"Where have you been?" She asked. "Some witch just took everyone away!"

"I know," Koji replied. "Now the Heartless are attacking. It's not safe here anymore."

"What'll we do?"

Koji pointed behind Sky, and she turned to see the Gummi ship floating nearby. "I brought the Gummi ship so we could escape."

"Escape? You mean the Heartless are…"

"Sky, there's nothing we can do. We have to get out of here so we can save our family."

Koji led Sky to the Gummi ship and helped her in, but before he could get in they became surrounded by Heartless.

"You get going!" Said Koji. "I'll hold them off!"

"But Koji, what about you?" Sky asked.

"It doesn't matter. You have the Keyblade. If they get a hold of it there won't be any hope. Don't worry, I'll be fine. We'll see each other again."

"But Koji…" Before she could continue Koji activated the Gummi ship and closed the door.

Koji watched as the ship flew off and attacked the group of Heartless so they couldn't follow.

Sky tried to turn the ship around, but found it had been preset on auto-pilot.

Sky sank to her knees as she finally felt the fatigue that had built up from all her fighting.

Sky tried to stay awake, but found it impossible as she finally lost consciousness.

* * *

Wow... longer chapter than the other two. It was supposed to be two chapters, but I couldn't putanything up when I tried last night, so by the time I could put up a new chapter it had grown twice as long. Oh well. I'm not too happy with the second helf of this one... at all. But what do you think? Please tell me.

Of course that means I want you to review. So please do that? I haven't been getting enough feedback on this story. I'll accept any kind of critique, as long as it's given nicely, kay? Not that I mind flames, they just make me mad, and you wouldn't like me when I'm mad. So no flames, alright?

Okay, see ya next chapter!


	4. The Adventure Starts

_It was a bright, warm day. The perfect day to spend outdoors._

_A Young Sky, about 5 years old, ran into the shallow waters and splashed around, laughing all the while. This was her first visit to the island._

"_Sky!" A familiar voice called. She turned to see her parents nearby waving to her. "Come on Sky," Kairi called. "Your father and I want to show you something."_

"_Okay Mom!" Sky replied, running to her parents. "What're we gonna see? Is it a surprise?"_

"_Maybe," Sora replied. "You'll just have to wait and see."_

_Sky giggled and jumped up and down from excitement. She took her parents hands and they all walked together to…_

---

Sky slowly awoke from her dream. She felt herself on a soft bed and heard a kind voice nearby.

"M… Mom?" She said, barely loud enough to be heard. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a kind familiar face looking back down at her, though it wasn't her mother. "Aunt Minnie?"

Minnie nodded with a smile. "I'm glad you're awake Sky. How do you feel?"

"I'm not sure… I feel tired, but I don't know why." Sky looked around at the room she was in. It definitely wasn't her room. After a moment Sky realized she was in Disney Castle. "How did I get here?"

"You passed out in the Gummi ship." Minnie explained. "It had been set on auto-pilot to come here. When Chip and Dale found you, they called me and I had you brought to this room. You've been sleeping for two hours."

"The Gummi ship…?" The memory of what happened hit Sky and she sat up with a start. "Aunt Minnie! Something terrible has happened!"

---

Sky finished recounting the events on Destiny Islands to Minnie, who shook her head sadly.

"I can't believe it…" The Queen said softly. "First Matthew, now everyone else is gone."

"Wait…" Said Sky. "Matt's gone too?"

Minnie nodded. He left without telling anyone. He left a letter here, but it doesn't explain much." There was a knock on the door. "Come in."

Donna walked into the room and turned to Sky. "Oh, I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Better," Sky replied. "Thanks."

Donna smiled. One of Donna's most unique features was her smile, which was much more lighthearted and warm than either of her parents. Donna, of course, resembled her mother and father, except for the ponytail of hair (or was it feathers) she had tied back by a bow. "Your Majesty," Donna said, turning to Minnie. "Mother wanted me to tell you that our other guests are awake."

"Oh, good." Minnie replied. "I'll be right there." Donna bowed and left the room. "Sky, will you be okay by yourself while I go check on the other guests?"

Sky had been confused by this talk of "other guests" but nodded with a smile. "I'll be fine. Thanks Aunt Minnie."

Minnie smiled and walked to the door. She opened it and turned to Sky. "And if you need anything, just give me a call." She smiled once more before she left and closed the door behind her.

Sky sighed and looked out a nearby window. "Well," She said. "What now?"

---

Whiskers opened his eyes and looked around. He'd expected to be in the bottom bunk in the tree house, but instead found himself in a cushiony bed, surrounded by clean white walls and beautiful furniture.

"Holy post-mortem!" He shouted. "I've died and gone to Heaven!" Whiskers began sobbing. "Oh I don't wanna die! There's so much I haven't done yet!" The image of himself climbing a giant banana split popped into Whiskers' mind.

"Whiskers!" Brandy shouted from the bed next to Whiskers'. "We're not dead; we're just in a nice room!" A thought came to Brandy. "Wait… this _is _a nice room!" She jumped out of her bed and admired the fanciness of the room. The richly upholstered chairs, the silk curtains on the windows, the plush carpeted floor, it was all like a wonderful dream to Brandy. "Whiskers, we must be back in civilization! I must be back in Florida!"

"Wow," Said Whiskers. "You always said Florida was like heaven, but I didn't think it was literal!"

"I'm afraid this isn't Florida," Said Minnie, as she, Daisy, and Donna walked in. "I'm not even sure where that is. But this is Disney Castle."

"Not Florida?" Brandy whined. "Oh…. Wait! Did you say this is a castle?"

Minnie nodded. "Yes, it is. And I am Queen Minnie."

"Wow!" Said Whiskers, hopping out of bed and standing next to Brandy. "A real castle! How cool is that? But wait… how did we get here?"

"Yeah," Brandy added. "All I remember was getting swallowed up by that black goop."

"Allow me to explain." Said Minnie. "Our Professor, Professor Ludwig Von Drake, was looking through his telescope last night when he saw a star go out. When a star goes out, it means a world has disappeared.

"Knowing this, Professor Von Drake immediately came to me and told me. I accompanied him back to the telescope to see for myself, but to get to the telescope we had to travel through the garden. It was while we were passing through that I heard something. I looked up and from out of the sky two figures were falling to the ground. It was you, of course. Fortunately, you landed unharmed.

"So, I called Daisy," Minnie motioned to the older duck behind her. "My lady in waiting, and she had the brooms come out and carry you to this room."

"Brooms?" Brandy asked.

"Yes, the brooms. They are the servants in this castle."

As if on cue, a broom came in and started sweeping. "Wow!" Said Whiskers. "This place has _everything!_"

"Wait a minute," Said Brandy. "You mean we're in another world?"

Minnie nodded. "That's right. There are many worlds. They all share the same sky and each world is like a star in that sky. I'm afraid… that your world is most likely the one that disappeared."

"You… you mean, its… gone?" Brandy asked, shocked by what she heard. "And all our friends…"

"Ed, Lola, everyone…" Whiskers continued. "…They're all gone for good?"

"Not for good," Minnie corrected. "Your world can be brought back… I'm just not sure how."

Brandy and Whiskers lowered their heads in despair.

Minnie felt terrible about telling them such awful news, but what else could be done. Minnie was awakened from her thoughts by Daisy's voice. "Your Majesty?" Minnie turned to face her friend. "Maybe the Prince's letter can help. He said there was some kind of danger coming, and that we should expect company."

"You're right Daisy." Minnie said, suddenly getting an idea. "I think I know what we must do! Daisy, when they're ready, please escort our guests to the library. Donna, ask Sky to meet us there as soon as she can."

Without another word, Minnie left the room, leaving a very confused dog and rabbit.

---

Daisy and Donna did as the Queen told them and brought Sky, Brandy, and Whiskers to the library.

"I'm glad you're all here." Said Minnie, as she stood near the King's desk. She turned to Sky. "Sky, meet Brandy and Mr. Whiskers. Brandy, Whiskers, meet Sky." The three acknowledged each other and turned to face Minnie again.

Having made the introduction, Minnie explained that she had important matters to discuss with all of them and went over the past events of Brandy and Whiskers' world disappearing and their strange appearance, Maleficent's return and capture of Sora, Mickey, and the others, The fact that Sky now had the Keyblade, and finally, Prince Matthew's letter.

"It must all fit together somehow." She finished. "I believe that Sky gaining the Keyblade and coming here at the same time that the two of you arrived…" She nodded towards Brandy and Whiskers. "…Was no mere coincidence. Maleficent is planning something again, but this time, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and anyone who could have fought against her is now being held prisoner.

"Therefore, I believe the Keyblade chose someone to take over in Sora's absence. And that it also chose someone to aid that person in their quest." Minnie turned to Sky and looked her right in the eye. "Sky, you are the one the Keyblade chose. And Brandy and Whiskers were chosen to help you."

"Wait a second!" Brandy interrupted. "You're saying some 'key' chose us for some dangerous mission?"

"Wow!" Whiskers shouted excitedly. "How awesome is that!"

"Whiskers, they want us to go off and fight an ultimate evil. It's not some kind of dumb field trip!"

"Oh I know Brandy, but it may be the only way to get our world back."

"I don't know…" Said Sky. "I want to bring everyone back, but can I really do it?"

"I'm sure you can Sky." Minnie reassured her.

"So am I." Daisy added, followed by an enthusiastic nod from Donna.

"And you can count on me to help." Said Whiskers, who walked over to stand by Sky. "I'll help you find your family, and Brandy will too, right Brandy? …Brandy?"

Brandy stood with her arms folded and didn't answer. But after a minute or two of pleading looks from Whiskers she finally caved and sighed heavily. She walked over and stood next to Sky and Whiskers. "Oh alright. But just till we get our world back."

"Very well." Said Minnie with a smile. "If you two are going to help Sky you'll need something to fight the Heartless with." She turned to a nearby chest and brought something out. "Before I give you these I must find out a little about you." She said. "Brandy, what is your strength?"

"Well," Brandy replied, ready to gloat as always. "I'm gorgeous, smart, have a great fashion sense, and I have awesome leadership skills."

"Leadership skills? Wonderful! Then I grant to you the title of Temporary Captain of the Royal Knights."

Minnie handed a large round shield with the King's symbol on it to Brandy. "Um…" She said. "Do you have anything smaller and less… ugly? Shields are _soo _hard to accessorize with."

"That shield is a symbol of your title." Minnie replied. "And you will need it to defend yourself and others."

"Ooh, ooh! Me next!" Whiskers shouted, jumping up and down.

"Very well." Minnie turned to Whiskers. "Do you know anything about magic?"

"Do I ever!" Whiskers reached behind his back and brought out a bouquet of flowers from thin air. "I've been doing magic for years!"

Minnie chuckled. "Good, then I give to you the title of Temporary Court Magician." She placed a wand with what looked like a wizard's hat on the top end in Whiskers' hands. Whiskers gazed lovingly at the wand like it was a new toy. "This wand will come in handy," Minnie continued. "As you will need to use magic often for both offense and defense."

Minnie stepped back from the three and looked at them. "You must all be careful," She said. "For there are many dangers out there. But if you work together the three of you can do anything. I know it."

"Don't worry." Said Sky. "We won't let you down."

---

After saying goodbye to Minnie, Daisy, and Donna, Sky walked down to the Gummi garage with Brandy and Whiskers.

"So, tell me again how we're gonna get to other worlds?" Brandy asked.

"With a Gummi ship." Sky replied.

"Mmm, sounds tasty." Said Whiskers.

"Not gummy as in gummy bears, Gummi as in Gummi blocks. It's kinda complicated, so I'll explain it later."

The trio entered the garage and were greeted by two chipmunks.

"**Sky!**" Chip and Dale shouted happily, jumping up onto the girl's shoulders.

"We heard what happened," Said Chip. "We're glad you're okay."

"Thanks guys." Sky replied. "Is the ship ready?"

"Yup!" Said Dale. "We fixed it up, and it's ready to go!"

"Great, then we'd better get going." She carefully set the chipmunks on the ground and they scurried off to their posts. "C'mon guys," She said to Brandy and Whiskers. "We're not gonna find my family and our worlds by standing around."

Sky stepped over to a docking port where the Gummi ship Highwind was parked. She hopped in and got into the pilot's seat.

Whiskers jumped in and took the seat to the left of Sky, while Brandy, less enthusiastically, took the right.

"Wow!" Whiskers exclaimed. "It's like I'm finally gonna be an astronaut!"

"I don't know…" Brandy said warily. "The last time we were in an airplane didn't end up so well."

"Oh c'mon Brandy, it's not an airplane it's a Gummi ship. What could go wrong?"

"Please, don't ask that!"

Chip and Dale prepped the ship for flight, as runway lights turned on one by one.

Sky secured her safety belt and took the controls. Whiskers secured his belt as well. "You might wanna buckle up Brandy."

"What?" Brandy asked, disinterested. "Why- AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The ship fell through a hole in the floor and came out, apparently, from the bottom of the planet. Sky righted the ship and activated the thrusters.

"You okay Brandy?" She asked.

Brandy, having somehow been flipped upside-down in her chair, righted herself and buckled in with a grunt.

"So, where're we off to?" Whiskers asked.

"Radiant Garden." Sky replied. "There are some friends of my family there that may be able to help us with our search."

"And so begins another grand misadventure." Brandy grumbled.

---

Meanwhile, deep within a dark castle, Maleficent watched Sky and her new friends as they flew across space.

"Well," She said. "It would seem I underestimated this girl. She truly is her father's daughter."

"That's the trouble!" Another voiced said angrily. "You were supposed to get the Keyblade so that we could use it!"

"Calm yourself." Maleficent replied.

Captain Hook stepped out from the shadows and pointed his hook at the witch. "Why should I? I knew joining you again would be a disaster!"

"I agree." Said a deep voice. Oogie Boogie walked up and stood next to Hook. "I shoulda remembered that the last time you brought me back to life it ended up bad for me!"

"Well Toots," Maleficent turned to face Hades, who was calmly leaning against a nearby wall. "Looks like you're not so popular anymore."

"And why should I care? Listen well, all of you. Sora's daughter may hold the Keyblade, but we hold something far more precious to her. Her family. She will doubtless try to save them, however she can. That will be to our advantage. She has no idea the power she holds, and as they say, a fool and her Keyblade are soon parted."

"But then what?" Another voice, this time female, growled from the shadows. "We have even less knowledge of the Keyblade then that girl does. How are we to use it?"

"Leave that to me. I have not spent the past twenty years idly."

"Let's hope you haven't." Another voice commented.

"Fear not, everything is under my control." Maleficent turned to see Pete walk in. "What do you have to report?"

"Well, uh, see, the thing is…" He mumbled. "My Heartless have been searchin', just like ya said, and we haven't been able to find that kid anywhere."

"A pity. Koji must have been lost when his world disappeared."

"What does that scurvy brat have to do with anything?" Hook asked.

"His father, Riku, was powerful. Had he remained loyal, we would have been assured victory. I had hoped his son would succeed where he had failed."

"What about the boy you have locked in your dungeon?"

"Yes... when he came to me, seeking refuge from his own world, I could tell he was powerful. He was born of greatness, after all. Perhaps he could be of some use."

"Yeah, his pa sure was a tough guy," Hades agreed. "Even if he was a little too soft hearted. But that was back before he turned back into a weak human. And in case you haven't noticed, his kid's human too."

"That can be amended. The power his father possessed still lies dormant within him. All it will take to reignite the flame… is a small spark…"


	5. All For One And One For All!

Hey! I'm updating already? Cool!

Anyhow, this chapter will establish Sky's new friendship with Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, and also introduces another new character: Leo Leonheart! Yep, he's Leon's son. Hence the neame Leo (very orignal Tuski, very original...).

Okay, so enjoy the chapter!

(I own nothing but Sky, Koji, Leo, Hanna, and any other characters I make up.)

* * *

The trip so far had been a quiet one. Whiskers stared out at the endless expanses of space and all the strange debris, Sky piloted the ship, and Brandy sat and filed her nails. 

Sky looked over at the dog who sat to her right. "Hey," She said slowly. "Um, I know this was all kind of sudden… it was for me too. But since we're going to work together, maybe we can all get to know each-other a little more?"

"Yeah, whatever." Brandy replied, not even looking up from her nails.

Sky just heaved a heavy sigh and continued piloting.

"Don't mind her." Said Whiskers. "It takes her awhile to make new friends."

"Oh." Sky replied, grateful for at least one friendly companion. "Did it take a long time for you to become her friend?"

"Oh yeah. I mean, at first she acted like she hated me. I mean come on, how could I have known that that plane door latch wasn't the light switch, or that the bowling ball I fished out of the quicksand wasn't her, or that a cell phone isn't something you want to lose when stranded in the jungle?"

Sky blinked in confusion. Whiskers couldn't be _that_ dumb… could he? She decided it was better to be safe than sorry, and locked the Gummi ship's door latches.

A moment later, something came into view.

"We're here!" She said with a smile. "Guys, welcome to Radiant Garden!"

---

After they had landed and were safely on the surface, the trio made their way through the streets of the small city which surrounded the castle.

"Another castle?" Whiskers asked.

"Yeah," Sky replied. "We're gonna see a lot of castles on our way."

"Cool."

"Where are we going?" Brandy asked.

"We're already here!" Sky announced, stopping in front of an old house. "I just hope somebody's home."

"They're not." A voice came from behind them.

They turned to see a tall young man with long dark hair behind them, wearing a long blue coat and black jeans.

"Leo!" Sky shouted and jumped into his arms.

Leo caught Sky and returned the hug. "Hey Squirt." He said. "What brings you here?" He turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "And who're your friends?"

"Oh." Sky stepped back. "These are my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers. Brandy, Whiskers, this is Leo Leonheart. The big brother I never had."

"Nice to meet you." Said Whiskers, while Brandy just drooled.

"Y-yeah… very nice." Brandy almost sang.

The reason for Brandy's behavior was obvious. At six foot tall, with deep blue eyes and a handsome face, Leo could very well have had any girl he wanted. If he'd wanted that is. Like his father had been once, Leo didn't really have much time for things like that.

"Hey, where is everyone?" Sky asked. "I thought for sure they'd be at Merlin's house."

"They're up at the castle." Leo replied. "Tron sensed something weird going on through the new inter-world net Cid and Von Drake cooked up. Know anything about it?"

"Maybe. That's why we're here."

"Alright, come on up to the castle, you can explain everything there."

Sky agreed and the four of them made their way to the castle.

Not much had changed over 20 years, except that Ansem's room had been refurnished and redecorated, and that the castle had been fixed up.

Leo led Sky, Whiskers, and Brandy into the computer room, where they were met by Yuffie, Merlin, Cid, and Stitch.

"Hi everyone!" Sky called.

Yuffie immediately ran over and locked Sky in a bear hug. "Sky! How's my favorite niece doing?"

"Fine Aunt Yuffie… but… you're crushing me." Yuffie let Sky go, but the girl was immediately tackled by a blue blur, which started licking her face. "Okay Stitch, okay, I'm glad to see you too." Sky gave the alien a quick hug and stood up, wiping the green slobber off her face. "Hi Merlin, hey Gramps." Sky said to Merlin and Cid, having adopted Sora's nick-name for the older native of Radiant Garden. "Hey Kiddo." Cid replied. "You look to be in tip-top shape."

"Don't forget me." A somewhat electronic but friendly voice came from the computer.

"Of course I wouldn't forget you Tron." Sky said with a smile.

Sky introduced Brandy and Whiskers to the others, and asked where everyone else was. Cid explained that Aerith was on official business in Port Royal, and that Leon and Cloud had gone with her. Over the past twenty years, because of so many worlds being connected to one another, an ambassador was needed for communication between them. And to no one's surprise or objection, Aerith had been chosen.

Sky then quickly explained what had happened on Destiny Islands, and how she had come to have the Keyblade.

"Hmm, this is serious." Said Merlin. "I was afraid Maleficent may try something, but I had no idea it would be so serious."

"That witch!" Yuffie exclaimed. "I can't believe she'd do this!"

"I need to find them," Sky said. "But I have no clue where to even start looking."

"Well," Merlin continued. "When we last heard from her, Maleficent was trying to obtain a new castle. That woman's had an obsession with castle for as long as I can remember which is why she took control of Radiant Garden in the first place and changed it into Hollow Bastion. So it's safe to assume she's found a suitable castle for her purposes."

"That really narrows it down." Cid said sarcastically. "There're what? A thousand castles across the worlds?"

"Actually, 2,987, according to my files." Tron corrected. "But those are only the castles we know about."

"We can rule out some of those however," Said Merlin. "As we would have known by now if Merlin had even shown up around those areas. Still, there's a lot of unexplored terrain."

Sky sighed. "So we're no closer than before."

"Not necessarily," Tron replied. "An easy way to determine a possible location is to monitor the worlds for any dark activity. Wherever Maleficent is, darkness is sure to follow."

"Hey, that's right!" Yuffie shouted enthusiastically. "Do you think you can do that Tron?"

"It'll take me some time to access all the worlds via the net, and then scan them. But it shouldn't be a problem."

"Great! And in the meantime Sky, you and your friends can train!"

"Train?" Brandy asked, horrified.

"Sure, you three could use some toughening up. Don't you think so Squall Jr.?"

Leo, despite the fact that he hated being called Squall Jr., nodded. "If you guys are gonna take on Maleficent, you'll need to know how to fight."

"Oh no, no, no, no. no." Said Brandy. "I don't fight. I was given a shield so I could be the leader and defend myself." She held up the shield to prove her point.

"That shield isn't to protect yourself, it's to defend others. And to do that, you'll have to fight."

"But neither of you will do much fighting like that." Merlin said. He stepped up to Brandy and Whiskers and pointed to their clothes, which they now noticed were tattered and torn from their adventure back in the Amazon. "You'll need new clothes."

"New clothes!" Brandy shouted, sounding ecstatic for the first time.

"Yes. Now let's see. I'm not as good at this as the Good Fairies, but I'll try." Merlin waved his hand and Brandy and Whisker's clothes changed in a flash.

Brandy looked down and saw that she was wearing a green shirt, black vest, yellowish orange pants, and oversized shoes. She also realized she was wearing an odd hat, which was the same color as the pants.

As for Whiskers, he wore a blue shirt, and a blue hat which resembled a sailor hat. Unfortunately for him, the outfit didn't include pants, so he was standing in his underwear for all to see.

The others burst out laughing to see that they were dressed exactly like Donald and Goofy.

"Oops," Said Merlin. "I suppose I should try to be a little more original."

"Whatever," Said Brandy. "Just fix it. **Now!**"

"Alright, alright, let me try again."

Merlin waved his hand once more, and the clothes changed again.

This time, Brandy wore a shirt more similar to her old one, except that this one was blue except for the left sleeve and the right shoulder, which were pink. On the bottom left side was a pink embroidered flower. Her pants were yellow, and a silver belt was around her waist, slanting down to the right slightly. On her feet were brown sandals, apparently made of wood.

As for Whiskers, he was wearing a one piece suit, like his old one, but this new one was green. He wore a short-sleeved coat over that, which was the same shade of orange as his old suit. On his left wrist was a grey wrist band.

"Wow, not bad." Said Brandy, admiring her new attire.

"Yeah, not bad at all." Whiskers agreed.

"And Sky, I have something for you as well." Merlin turned to her and handed her a small item.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's a form. Do you remember how your father's old clothes enabled him to take different Drive Forms with help from others?" Sky nodded. "Well, the item I've just given you will give your clothes the same power, and more. This power will grow as your journey continues, but please don't use it unless absolutely necessary."

"I won't."

"Alright already!" Yuffie said impatiently. "Let's get started on the training!"

"Alright Aunt Yuffie, I'm ready." Sky said.

"Me too!" Whiskers added excitedly.

"I'm not…" Brandy whined.

The group left the room except for Cid, who stayed to assist Tron's search.

As they left the castle, Sky looked up at the clouds passing by. Training would be good for her, as it would help get her mind off of everything.

_Koji, _She thought. _I hope you and the others are okay._

---

He slowly awoke to the sound of a waterfall. Oddly, it reminded him of a heartbeat.

He sat up, but regretted the action as a pulsing pain rushed through his head.

He looked around as soon as the pain dulled a little, and wasn't surprised to find himself somewhere unfamiliar.

He ached all over. Most likely from the fact that he'd just barely escaped the collapse of his entire world and was flung to another without a ship. But he still stood up. He knew he had to get moving, though he had no idea where he'd go.

He stumbled through the deep jungle, slowly regaining his strength.

_I hope you're okay… Sky._

---

Sky was right about one thing: Training with Leo certainly got her mind off her troubles.

Not that she minded. She needed this training. Surviving her encounter with Maleficent was a miracle in and of itself, she knew that perfectly well. If she ever hoped to fight her and survive, or even survive the journey, she had to sharpen her skills.

Whiskers trained with Merlin, with assistance from Stitch. Merlin handled the magic, Stitch acted as a sparring partner. Whiskers wasn't the most coordinated bunny in the world, but his defended himself well with aero spells and healing, and he was a natural at magic. Merlin even considered recommending him to Master Yen Sid. As for Whiskers view of his training, he couldn't be happier. The thought of being a hero was just too good to be true for the smelly rabbit.

Brandy, however, was another matter.

Yuffie took it upon herself to train Brandy. The pampered dog from Florida didn't do so bad at blocking attacks –or running from them– but when it came to attacking or countering, Brandy wasn't even trying. She'd keep making excuses, like broken nails, a sore foot, dirt in her eyes, and things like that.

Yuffie, tired of the whole thing, decided maybe they should call it a day, so the group gathered at Merlin's house to rest.

Yuffie, Leo, and Merlin went outside to talk, while Sky, Brandy, and Whiskers sat on the bed, Stitch laying in Sky's arms getting scratched behind the ears.

"Ugh, what a day." Brandy sighed. "I can't believe how hard I had to work."

Sky almost laughed. "Work? Yeah right. You're joking, right?"

Brandy looked offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh come on Brandy, all you did was block a few attacks and make up excuses to get out of anything else."

"Oh, well excuse me. In case you didn't realize this before, I am not the fighting type!"

Sky glared at Brandy. "Maybe not, but you're gonna have to fight anyway!"

"Um, now, now you two…" Whiskers said nervously. "Let's not get angry."

"I wouldn't have to fight if it wasn't for you." Brandy retorted.

"Wha- how is it my fault?" Sky demanded.

"That stupid Keyblade of your started this, didn't it? So it's your fault!"

"Hey! I have this because my father was captured and I have to rescue him!"

"Well if your dad was the one captured, maybe _he _should have been the one training."

Sky looked as though Brandy had slapped her. "…What?"

"You heard me." Brandy stood up and walked away. "If your dad as the hero everyone claims he was maybe he wouldn't have gotten himself captured like an idiot."

Sky clenched her fists. She picked up a pillow and threw it at Brandy. The projectile hit the dog in the head, causing her to turn around sharply.

"Uh oh…" Said Stitch, as he jumped off Sky's lap and hid in a corner.

Sky stood up and glared at Brandy. "You take that back right now."

"Or what?" Brandy asked.

"Or else I'll rearrange your face!"

Sky was about to jump on Brandy when Whiskers jumped between them. "C'mon guys!" He said desperately. "Don't fight! We're supposed to be friends!"

"Oh grow up Whiskers!" Brandy shouted. "There's no way I'm going to be friends with her!"

"And I don't want anything to do with a spoiled brat like her!" Sky added.

"Fine then. I'm leaving!" Brandy walked to the door. "I'll get home on my own. Good riddance to all of you!"

Brandy walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Sky sank back to the bed and put her head in her hands.

"Sky, I'm sure she didn't mean that…" Said Whiskers. He would have continued, saying that was just how Brandy was, but he noticed tears falling down Sky's face. Brandy had finally crossed the line.

Whiskers placed his hand on Sky's shoulder, attempting to comfort her.

"Why didn't you go with Brandy?" Sky asked. "She's your friend."

"True. She was my first real friend. But you're my friend too, and you need me now more than Brandy does."

Sky hugged Whiskers and sighed. "Thanks… thanks Whiskers."

Leo and the others walked in.

"We just saw Brandy storm off." Said Yuffie. "What happened?"  
"Nothing…" Sky answered, letting go of Whiskers and drying her eyes. "I guess Brandy's not going to go with us after all."

"Oh dear, that's not good, not good at all." Said Merlin.

"Why not?" Leo asked.

"The form I gave to Sky. It can only work with Brandy's help."

"What!" Yuffie demanded. "You made something that important dependant on someone like Brandy!"

"I didn't choose her myself. When I made the form it automatically had a certain power needed to work, and Brandy is the only one who has that power. And unless we can get her back, Sky will never be able to use the Drive Form."

Sky stood up and turned to the window. "Well then… I guess I'll just have to do without it."

Suddenly, the ground shook.

"What was that!" Whiskers asked.

"Something's going on." Said Leo. "Something bad…"

"Can anyone hear me?" Tron's voice came through the nearby computer console. "Hello?"

"We're here Tron, what's going on?" Yuffie replied.

"There's a large amount of dark energy right here in the castle. Heartless are crawling all over, ad they have Cid trapped."

"We're on our way!" Yuffie replied. "Keep the security defenses up Tron."

"Let's go!" Leo shouted, as he ran for the door, followed by Yuffie and Stitch.

Whiskers and Sky hung back for a moment. "Sky, are you sure we can do this?"

"I'm sure Whiskers." She replied. "…We have to."

---

The group made it to the castle and saw that Tron wasn't kidding. The Heartless were everywhere.

"Sky, we'll take care of the small fries. You and Whiskers find the boss. He's got to be deeper in the castle." Leo took out the Gunblade and started slicing Heartless. Yuffie hit them with her ninja stars, and Stitch wasted no time in blasting them with his laser weapons and clawing at them with one of his extra paws.

Sky and Whiskers head through the study and into the computer room, but didn't see Cid anywhere.

"Gramps?" Sky called. "Tron, where's Cid? Tron?" Tron didn't answer.

"What's wrong with Tron?" Whiskers asked.

"They must have blocked the net connecting his world to ours. Come on."

Sky led Whiskers through another door into an enormous room.

It seemed empty at first, but then Sky saw two figures. One was Cid, tied up. The other was none other than Pete.

"Well, well, lookie here." He said. "I knew you'd come lookin' fer this old guy."

"What are you doing here?" Sky demanded. She'd heard all about Pete, and she didn't like one bit of it. Nor did she care much for him in person.

"Maleficent told me to keep an eye on you while she takes care o' somethin' else. But when that dog walked out, I decided t' try and get in good with the boss and take you out."

The Keyblade appeared in Sky's hand and she took a battle-ready stance. "Just try it tubby!"

"Alrighty then!" Pete snapped his fingers and a large cylindrical object, twice as big as a full grown person, fell to the ground.

It was dark black, with purple, web-like markings all over it.

It sat motionless, as Pete disappeared through a dark portal. Sky looked back at Whiskers who just shrugged.

But suddenly, eight long limbs popped out of the object and it lifted itself off the ground. The front end of the cylinder opened and a pointed face came out. It had several yellow eyes and long fangs. On the bottom half of the spider-like creature was the Heartless symbol.

Sky and Whiskers charged the Heartless, but were both pushed back by one of its legs. It then jumped up and began spinning around, becoming a flying saw blade. It tore through the room, and Sky and Whiskers barely dodged it.

It stopped and got back on its feet, then began shooting out spikes of dark energy. One of which hit Sky in the leg, causing her to fall to her knees.

"Don't worry Sky, I'll save you!" Whiskers shouted. But before he could use the heal spell one of the Heartless' legs hit him in the head, knocking him out.

The creature approached Sky and pointed its leg at her like a spear. It lunged for Sky, and she closed her eyes, knowing she'd be shish-kabob in a moment.

But she was surprised to hear the sound of the Heartless' leg hitting something made of metal and looked up to see Brandy standing in front of her, blocking the attack.

"B-Brandy?" She gasped.

Brandy turned to her and gave her a potion, healing her leg. "Yep."

"But how… why?"

"I'll explain later, let's get Whiskers and beat this thing first."

Sky nodded, and the two of them ran to Whiskers. Brandy gave him a potion, waking him up.

"Oh… what hit me?" He asked groggily. He turned to Brandy and his face lit up. "You're back!" Whiskers grabbed Brandy in a bear hug. "I knew you would be!"

"Yeah, thanks Whiskers." Brandy said quickly. "But we've still got a big ugly spider thing to beat before we get all huggy."

Sky and the others turned to face the Heartless and saw it preparing to attack again.

"I'm not sure we can beat this thing." Sky admitted. "It's too fast, and those legs keep blocking all our attacks. How are we going to break through?"

"Wait!" Whiskers shouted. "Brandy's here, so you can use the Drive Form!"

Sky looked at Brandy, and Brandy looked at her.

"Truce?" Sky asked.

"Truce." Bandy agreed.

Sky held the Keyblade up, and light began to form around her and Brandy.

Brandy disappeared and Sky's clothes changed. Her shirt, once green, was now yellow, and her sleeves went from light purple to purple. Her pants became purple as well, and the heart on her shirt and her boots turned blue. A dark blue star appeared over the heart on her shirt.

Her hair also changed slightly, taking on a subtle blonde sheen. Her eyes, once bight blue, were now lighter, like Brandy's eyes.

In her right hand was the original Keyblade, and in the other was Oathkeeper.

This was Sky's Agility Form.

Sky Ran to the Heartless and jumped at it. It tried to attack with its front legs, but Sky just pushed off of it effortlessly and jumped over the Heartless in one sweep. Once she was behind it, she swooped in and began hitting it from beneath.

The Heartless tried to hit Sky, but she moved out of the way of its legs, causing it to hit itself. Sky continued dodging its legs, until it lost its footing and fell over.

Sky jumped up into the air and landed with a blow from both Keyblades right on the Heartless' head.

It was over.

The heart released from the Heartless floated up and out of sight as Sky and Brandy separated again.

"Oh, dis ain't good…" Pete said quietly, from his hiding place across the room. "Maleficent's gonna be mad about dis." The large villain quietly snuck out through a dark portal before he was noticed.

Sky turned and noticed Cid still in the same spot where they left him and untied him.

"Good work Kiddo." He said, standing up.

Leo and the others walked in, and Yuffie gave a victory shout. "We did it! We so rock!"

"We couldn't have done it without Sky and Brandy though." Whiskers reminded everyone. "They put aside their differences and worked together to beat the giant Heartless!"

Sky turned to Brandy, suddenly remembering her last conversation with her. "Why _did _you come back?" The question had both curiosity and anger in it.

Brandy put her hands behind her back and looked down in shame. "I… I did some thinking. And I realized something."

"What? That you have no way of getting to other worlds without us?"

"No. Though now that you mention it, that would have made things hard for me. But…" Brandy sighed heavily. This wasn't going to be easy. "I'm nothing but a spoiled brat. I wasn't doing my best and I blamed everyone but myself. Worst of all, I blamed you for something you couldn't have had anything to do with even if you wanted to."

"You got that right."

"I know… And then I said that horrible thing. Sky, I'm sorry. I know what its like to be far away from your family, so I should have known better." Sky stayed silent. "You probably hate me, don't you?"

Sky sighed and shook her head. "No, I don't. You just hurt my feelings is all. But, then you came back and you saved me. You didn't have to, but you did. So you must not be as much of a brat as you think, huh?"

Brandy smiled. "So, you wanna start over?"

Sky nodded and held out her hand. Brandy placed her hand on Sky's and Whiskers put his on Brandy's.

"This is great." He said. "We're all friends, just like I knew we should be!"

"You're going to need that friendship." Said Leo. "Things are going to get rough before this journey's over. You'll always have to watch each other's backs."

"Don't worry," Said Brandy. "I'm not letting their backs out of my sight. How else do you think they'll survive without my help?"

"Yeah, sure Brandy." Said Sky. "It goes both ways ya know." Suddenly, Sky remembered something. "Oh no. Tron, are you okay?"

Tron's voice echoed through the room. "I'm fine Sky. I was just blocked out of the mainframe for a while, that's all. I'm glad to see you stopped the Heartless by the way. I've got some good news of my own."

"What is it?"

"I've found some dark activity on a nearby world, and it's full of Castles. Maleficent may be there."

"Alright!" Sky said with a smile. "Then let's go check it out!"

"Before you leave," Tron continued. "I have to tell you something. After that attack I don't think I'll be able to do another interplanetary sweep like that again. If Maleficent isn't there I'll have to start searching the worlds one by one."

"Perhaps," Said Merlin, who had just poofed into the room. "If Sky were to look for clues along the way to help, you could pinpoint the right world faster."

"Good idea." Sky agreed. "I'll do that."

"You'd better get going." Said Leo. "You're not gonna find everyone by sittin' around."

"But you'd better stop by a lot." Yuffie demanded with a smile. "You've got a lot more training! Especially you Brandy!"

"I know, I know…" Brandy sighed ashamedly.

"Here's something else to aid you on the journey." Said Merlin, handing something to Sky. It was a charm with a ukulele on it. "Use this when you need some extra help. It's a summon charm."

"Who does it summon?" Whiskers asked. He was answered by Stitch landing on his head and looking at him upside down.

"Hi." The little alien being said.

"Thanks everyone." Said Sky. "Alright, Brandy, Whiskers, let's get on our way!"

The three put their hands together once more, and said triumphantly **"All for one and one for all!"**

---

"I told you to _watch_ them." Maleficent reminded Pete, as he followed her down a long, winding staircase. "Had you stayed out of it, the bond between Sky and her friends would have weakened, as would she. If nothing else, your stunt has strengthened her."

"But I thought I could handle 'em… I even did somethin' to the computer thingamawhozits so's they couldn't find ya."

"Imbecile. Let their little toy search for us. By the time Sky finds us, she will already have fallen into my web. Now go, before I decide to punish you for your incompetence."

Pete didn't need to be told twice. He turned and ran back up the stairs, thankful to still be breathing.

Maleficent continued downward until she reached the bottom of the stairs.

She walked up to a locked door and opened it, stepping inside and shutting it behind her. She slowly turned to the figure in the small cell.

"How do you feel?" She asked politely.

"Fine." The figure replied. "Except don't you have any better… accommodations than these? I came to you of my own free will remember?"

"Of course. I just had to be certain you were sincere when you said you wished to help me."

"I never said I wished to help you, I said I wanted you to help me. And if I've gotta do something in return, fine."

Maleficent nodded. "And indeed, I shall help you. More than you realize. Your father was very powerful as I'm sure you know."

The figure laughed without humor. "Yeah, I've heard. Though not from him. He's always off somewhere, too busy for his own flesh and blood."

"The life of a king is always fraught with many responsibilities. You'd do wise to forget about him and think of yourself."

"Heh, too late. I already have."

"A wise choice. Now tell me, what would you say if I offered you unlimited power. The power to do all you've dreamed of! The power your father… foolishly gave up."

"What are you talking about?"

Maleficent placed a hand on the figure's shoulder. "Your father held a great power. One he thought a curse. But it was, in reality, a gift. One he foolishly threw away. But a remnant of this power rests within you. I can awaken that power… if you'll let me."

The figure fell silent. He moved away from Maleficent's touch, as everyone had since she had first become the dark, evil being she was now. The figure lowered his blue eyes to the ground and said in almost a whisper. "What do I have to do?"

* * *

Hope ya liked it! I'll reveal the mystery character's identity in a couple of chapters, but I'm gonna leave clues here and there and see if anyone can guess. 

As for the whole ordeal 'tween Brandy and Sky, I think I rushed it. What do you think?

Anyhow, stay tuned for the next chapter, when our heroes travel to the first Disney world! (other than Disney Castle, that is.)

p.s. I have no clue who Leo's mom is. I never really thought of any pairings with Leon that much, but I'm leaning towards either Yuffie or Tifa. (Yuffie, after this chapter, is unlikely and I kinda think Yuffie's a little young for ol' Squall. And A lot of people who like CloudTifa would probably stone me if I even suggested Leon and Tifa having a kid together. Oh well)


	6. Udragoth

Hey, here's another chapter for you.

I gotta tell you right now, this chapter sucks, so unless any of you like the show Dave the Barbarian as much as me this chapter will have very little to entertain you. Sorry.

Anyhow, hope you still enjoy it.

(I only own whatever isn't owned by someone else, so not much.)

* * *

The second Gummi ship ride went a lot better than the first. This time Brandy and Sky got along much better, and the three friends had fun talking, swapping stories, laughing, and just getting to know each other.

"…And then he acted like me for the rest of the day!" Said Brandy, recounting one of her misadventures with Whiskers. "It was so annoying!"

"I was just doing what I was told!" Whiskers said defensively, as Sky laughed her head off.

"No, you took what you were told and twisted it in your warped bunny mind into something to annoy me."

"Do you guys seriously get into that much trouble all the time?" Sky asked, finally able to stop laughing long enough.

"Unfortunately, yes." Brandy replied.

Sky laughed again and looked out to see their destination approaching. "Okay guys, we're here. Get ready to disembark!"

---

This world was unlike any Sky had seen before. It all seemed so… strange. There were mountains and fields and trees, but none of them seemed real. They looked more like a poorly drawn landscape than a real place.

"So, where exactly are we?" Whiskers asked.

"I'm not sure." Sky replied. "But we need to start looking for a castle."

"You mean like that one?" Whiskers said, pointing to a small castle on a hill.

"How did we not notice that?" Sky asked.

"Probably because it's so small." Brandy replied with a scoff.

"Well come on guys," Said Sky. "Let's check it out!"

The trio made their way up the hill and was surprised to see a small group of people fighting off several Heartless.

One of them, a boy about Sky's age, tried to fight them off with a sword, though he didn't do so well.

"David, you're embarrassing me!" The sword shouted shrilly. Sky could now see that it had a face on its hilt. "You're not even hitting anything!"

"It's not my fault Lula!" The boy said defensively. "These things keep moving!"

Meanwhile, an old man with a wand was using magic to stop the Heartless.

"Raphingor!" He called out waving his wand, but the magic word did nothing but cause a toaster to appear. "Darn wand is on the fritz again!"

Behind him, a teenage girl, a little older than the boy, wearing a crown began shouting. "Uncle Oswidge, hurry up and destroy these things already!"

"Hey, you try whipping up an obliteration spell on an empty stomach!"

And a little ways off was a small girl who slightly resembled a monkey, holding a club threateningly, next to her was a small dragon like creature.

"C'mon, you ugly bug things, time for squashy-squashy!" She shouted at the shadow Heartless. Unfortunately, a much larger Heartless, one wearing armor, walked up behind her and grabbed her by the arm.

The girl's fate seemed sealed, but fortunately for her Sky jumped in and destroyed the Heartless. She then continued to destroy all the Heartless, with the help of Brandy and Whiskers.

Once all the Heartless were gone, Sky turned to the people she had saved.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Said Dave, the boy with the sword. "How'd you do it?"

"Oh, it was nothing." Sky replied modestly. "It was mostly the Keyblade here. I'm Sky, and these are my friends, Brandy and Whiskers.

"I'm Dave, and this is my family. There's Uncle Oswidge, and my sisters Candy and Fang." The sword cleared her throat. "Oh, and Lula, my enchanted talking sword. And this is my pet dragon Phaffy." The tiny dragon just blinked.

"What brings you to Udragoth?" Candy asked.

"Actually, we were looking for someone." Brandy replied.

Sky nodded and began relating the story.

---

Meanwhile, in another castle some distance away, Maleficent had appeared to speak to someone.

She stood facing, believe it or not, a pig wearing a cape.

This pig, whose name was Chuckles, stood pleading before Maleficent. "C'mon, why can't I join you? I'm evil!" Chuckles whined in his oh-so annoying voice. The Dark Lord had recently discovered the Heartless and had managed to take some control over them. It was soon after that he learned about Maleficent.

"Don't be a fool." Maleficent replied. "I answered your call to inform you of something important. I have no time to listen to your pleas. Someone has just arrived in this world. A girl. She has with her a key, a great weapon which I need. I want you to destroy her and bring me the key."

"Hey, I can do that! But in return I want to join your evil plans."

Maleficent sighed. "Very well. Prove yourself to me and you may join me. Fail and you will face the consequences."

Maleficent disappeared, leaving Chuckles to think.

"All I have to do" He said to himself. "Is destroy that girl and give the key to Maleficent. Then I'll be a part of her fiendish plans and rule the universe!" He walked over to a large crystal ball and touched it. "Crystal ball, show me the girl." The ball glowed for a moment, then showed a staticy image. Chuckles smacked the ball a few times until it showed a clear image of Sky talking to Dave. "Aha! She is with that infernal Dave the Barbarian! And she defeated the Heartless I sent to destroy him. No matter! I will keep my little piggy eye on them and when the time is right… I shall strike! Bwahahahahahahahah!"

---

Sky finished her story and looked to Dave and the others. "So you see, we need to find the castle where the dark energy is coming from. We may be able to save my parents and restore peace to the worlds." Sky hadn't even thought of keeping the other worlds a secret, as the rules against meddling in other worlds' affairs had long since become null and void. All worlds were connected to each-other now anyway, so no harm could come from it.

"There is a castle near here," Said Oswidge. "And the guy who owns it usually has something to do with dark forces. Maybe you should check there."

"Great. Will you guys come with us?" Oswidge, Candy, Fang, and Lula nodded, but Dave was unsure.

"Doesn't that seem kinda dangerous?" He asked.

"David, they saved our lives!" Lula shouted.

"Yeah, grow a backbone Dave!" Fang ordered.

"Oh, alright." Dave sighed. "They did help us out, it's the least we can do."

"Thanks a lot…" Brandy said, half sarcastically.

---

Sky, Brandy, Whiskers, and their new friends made their way through Udragoth. Over hills… and over some guy named Dale… anyway, they didn't get far before they ran into a few Heartless. But Sky, Brandy, Whiskers, and even Dave dealt with them quickly.

As they continued walking, Sky stole a glance at Dave and his sisters. They were arguing about something having to do with someone touching someone or something. Sky could suppress a smile which was forming on her lips. She remembered having little arguments all the time with her old childhood friends, who were the closest things she had to siblings. Wakka Jr., Sera, Leo… then she thought of Koji.

Her smile turned to a frown as she began worrying about Koji again.

"What's wrong?" Sky heard Dave ask. He had finished arguing with Fang and walked over to Sky.

"Oh, nothing." Sky replied. "I was just thinking about someone… Someone I really hope is okay…" Sky stopped walking, but was at the back of the group so only Dave noticed.

Dave stopped as well and put a hand on Sky's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be okay. Just don't give up hope."

Sky gave Dave a smile. "…Thanks."

Dave returned the smile. But suddenly, both their heads turned to face the others as they heard a loud "POOF!" sound.

They found that the others had been trapped in a magically sealed cage. On top of which stood none other than The Dark Lord Chuckles the Silly Piggy.

"So, Dave the Barbarian. We meat again!"

"AAaah!" Dave screamed, startled by Chuckles unexpected appearance.

"Let or friends go!" Sky demanded.

"Oh," Said Chuckles, as though he was considering it. "Let me see… um… uh… NO! Your friends belong to me now, and the only way to free them is to release the seal."

"Oh, I love seals!" Said Dave. "Their so cute, and the way they bark is adorable! And they're great swimmers, too!"

"Not that kind of seal you imbecile! A seal as in a lock! And the only way to release the seal is to defeat my undefeatable Heartless!"

"Um… I don't like the sound of 'undefeatable.'"

"Don't worry Dave, there's no Heartless we can't handle!" Sky said enthusiastically.

Suddenly, a large black creature flew down from the sky. It had the body of a lion, the claws of a hawk, the horns of a goat, and black fur all over it. It had four wings - two hawk wings, two bat wings - beady red eyes, and a Heartless symbol on its chest, forehead, and on each wing. Its tail, which was very long, had a snake-like head at the end of it.

"Chimera Heartless!" Chuckles shouted. "Destroy them! Bwahahahahaha!"

Chuckles disappeared and Sky and Dave got ready for battle.

Sky attacked the Chimera head-on, striking it with the Keyblade several times. Dave, though reluctantly, also fought with surprising strength. But the Chimera didn't take the attack for long. It turned swiftly and lashed the two with its snake headed tail. It then attacked with its fore-paw, swiping at them like they were cat toys.

Sky dodged the attack, but Dave was hit and sent flying ten feet away.

The Chimera then flew up into the air and began bombing Sky with dark balls of energy.

"Sky!" Brandy called from the cage. "Now would be a good time to use that thing Merlin gave you and call that weird alien thing!"

Sky jumped away from one of the dark projectiles. "Good idea! Stitch can help!" Sky took out the charm with the ukulele on it and held it up. She called out a magic word and the charm began to glow. There was a burst of light, and when it faded Stitch appeared.

"Stitch, I need your help." Said Sky. She pointed to the Heartless in the air. "Can you help me get him down?"

Stitch nodded and grew two extra arms. He took a laser gun in each of his four hands and began blasting the chimera. The creature soon felt the effects of the lasers and fell to the ground, dazed.

"Let's finish him off Stitch!" Sky called.

Stitch replied with an enthusiastic "You betcha!" and rolled into a ball. Sky knew what the little alien had planned, so she picked him up, tossed him into the air, and used the Keyblade like a baseball bat to launch Stitch towards the chimera.

Stitch hit the chimera Heartless head-on and unleashed all his alien experiment fury on it. By the time Stitch was done, the Heartless was almost done for.

Sky knew the summon magic's time had run out, so she petted Stitch on the head and thanked him for his help, before he disappeared.

Sky turned to the Heartless and raised the Keyblade. She jumped up and delivered the finishing blow, and the chimera fell to the ground.

Dave finally regained consciousness just as the Heartless disappeared, leaving nothing but a heart floating away.

"What'd I miss?" He asked groggily.

"Everything David," Lula replied. "You missed the whole fight!"

"Oh… sorry Sky."

"It's no big deal." Sky replied. "Let's just get the others out of that cage and get going."

---

Chuckles had watched the whole ordeal through his crystal ball and shouted in frustration. "Curses! Maleficent never told me that girl could call little blue things to help her! Now how am I supposed to destroy them…?"

Chuckles thought for a moment, then turned to a large bookshelf. "Let me see…" He said, searching through the books. "'101 recipes not having to do with pork'… 'Live alone and hate it'… 'Famous plunderers'… Aha! 'The master of evil's guide to destroying powerful enemies'! Now let's see…" Chuckles took the book down and began reading from it. Soon, he found what he was looking for. "Ah, that's how I'll destroy them! Oh, I am so fiendish! Bwahahahaha!" He snapped the book shut, but accidentally caught his snout in it. "Owch!"

---

After Sky and Dave got the others out of the cage, the group resumed their trek.

"We've been walking forever!" Brandy whined. "Haven't you people heard of cars?"

"Cars haven't been invented yet." Candy replied. "Duh. Oh, by the way, remind me to check my e-mails once we get home."

Sky could only shake her head slightly and sigh. This was one of the weirdest worlds she'd ever seen since that time she visited Wonderland.

"How much longer?" Whiskers asked.

"Not much longer." Oswidge replied. "We should see the castle any minute."

And he was right. Chuckles' castle soon came into sight and Sky and the others stared up at it.

"'The Dark Lord Chuckles the Silly Piggy's Evil Lair'?" Brandy read a sign over the door out loud. "Do you think he could be a little more obvious?"

"So how do we get in?" Fang asked.

"We could always climb the walls." Oswidge suggested.

But before they could debate any further the drawbridge came down, leaving the castle wide open.

"Or we could just walk in." Said Whiskers.

"Wait a minute…" Sky said warily. "Why would he just let us in like this?"

"Maybe he wants some company?" Dave suggested.

"No… its more like a…"

Suddenly, several large armor wearing Heartless popped out of nowhere and grabbed Oswidge, Candy, Fang, and Phaffy and pulled them into the castle.

Sky, Dave, Brandy and Whiskers ran in to help them but found them all tied to the wall, too high to reach.

Chuckles walked out of the shadows and glared smugly at his foes. "So Dave the Barbarian and… whatever your names are. It would seem you fell into my clever trap. Now surrender to me and give me your weapons or I will destroy your friends!"

"You fiend!" Dave shouted.

"Now, now, flattery will get you nowhere. Now c'mon! I don't have all day!"

Sky looked to the others, then sighed. "Fine Chuckles… You win." She threw down the Keyblade. Brandy followed suit and threw down her shield, and Whiskers did the same with his wand.

"Um, Lula," Said Dave. "Could you…?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Lula replied. She floated over to the other weapons and joined them on the ground.

"Bwahaha!" Chuckles laughed. "Now I have you!" He clapped his hooves together and several strong ropes tied themselves around Sky, Dave, Brandy, and Whiskers.

"Yes! I did it!" Chuckles shouted. "I beat you all! Now Maleficent will _have _to let me join her! Bwahahaha!"

"Wait," Said Sky. "So you do know Maleficent? Where is she?"

"How should I know? She's off on some other world somewhere. I just called her here earlier and she told me to get the Keyblade for her and she left."

Sky lowered her head. Her family wasn't here, and unless she found a way out of this she wouldn't ever be able to find them.

Chuckles meanwhile thought he had won, but was surprised when a black blur swiftly passed him and freed Candy, Fang, Oswidge and Phaffy, then disappeared before anyone could figure out what had happened.

"Huh? What was that?" Candy asked.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be free!"

Sky saw her opportunity and called the Keyblade back to her. It disappeared from the floor and reappeared in her hands. She quickly cut the ropes that were tied around her and freed Dave, Brandy, and Whiskers as well.

"What! No fair!" Chuckles shouted. "I had you! You're not supposed to get free! How is this possible?"

"Duh, we're the good guys." Brandy replied. "We always win."

"Oh really? Well not this time!" A magical shield appeared all around them, separating Sky, Dave, Brandy and Whiskers from the others. Dave, Brandy and Whiskers got their weapons back and prepared to fight.

"Heartless!" Chuckles called, and several Shadow, Soldier, and Armored Knight Heartless appeared.

The Heartless attacked and Sky and the others fought back. Dave zapped some Shadows with magic energy from Lula. Brandy bashed a Soldier's helmet with her shield. Whiskers used a Blizzard spell to freeze several Shadows, then hit them with his wand, causing them to shatter. Sky used a combination of melee attacks and strategic moves with the Keyblade to defeat many of the Armored Knights and Soldiers.

This continued, and the number of Heartless began to thin, but then two Large Bodies appeared. Sky knew they'd have to deal with them quickly and called to Dave. "Dave, give me a hand here!"

Dave made his way over to her and she quickly explained what she needed him to do. Dave boosted sky up into the air effortlessly and tossed Lula up to her. Sky grabbed the enchanted sword and fell upon the Large Bodies like a tornado, swinging both weapons swiftly.

Sky landed in a crouched position as the two giant Heartless disappeared. She returned Lula to Dave and the four continued fighting until the Heartless were beaten.

"Oh, you think you've won?" Chuckles asked smugly. "Well you forget that I still have control of the Heartless, and my Mystic Amulet of Hogswineboar!" The Dark Lord took his weapon of choice out from behind his back and held it up. It began to glow a menacing red and several shadows gathered to form another Chimera Heartless. But this time the Heartless began to change. It grew an extra head, longer claws and saber teeth, and its skin went from black to dark purple.

Chuckles hopped onto the Super-Chimera Heartless' back and held up his amulet. "Now you will feel my wrath! Bwahahahaha!"

Sky and the others held their weapons ready. Sky tried attacking the Heartless but ran into an invisible shield. She looked up to see that Chuckles himself was the one generating it with his amulet.

The Chimera began shooting balls of dark fire at Sky and the others, so that they had to run to dodge them.

"How do I stop him?" Sky wondered out loud.

"Use the Keyblade!" A familiar voice called. Sky looked around but couldn't find the source of the voice, though she guessed it came from whoever had helped them before. "Use the Keyblade Sky! Concentrate and you can do it?"

"What?" Sky dodged another fireball and looked at the Keyblade. "Concentrate? What does that mean…?" Sky pondered for a moment, but then a thought came to her.

Sky pointed the Keyblade at Chuckles, as though carefully aiming, and concentrated all her energy in one point at the end of the key. "Here goes nothing…" She breathed. Once she had gathered enough energy, Sky released the power and a large ball of flame flew towards Chuckles. "Fire!"

Chuckles saw the fireball coming, but couldn't dodge it. It passed through the shield and hit him head-on and he went flying off of the Chimera. "Smoked ham anyone?" Sky asked jokingly, as she and the others attacked the Heartless.

Sky fought the left head while Dave took the right, and Brandy and Whiskers attacked the body.

Soon enough, the Chimera Heartless was beaten and disappeared.

"Yes!" Sky called triumphantly. "We did it!"

"That was awesome Sky!" Said Brandy.

"Yeah, I can't believe you used magic like that!" Whiskers added. "How'd you know to do that?"

"I dunno," Sky replied. "I just heard someone tell me to use the Keyblade and I did."

"Well I'm glad they did." Said Dave, as Oswidge, Phaffy and the girls rejoined the group. "It sure saved our bacon."

"Speaking of bacon," Said Fang. "Where's Chuckles?"

As if on cue, Chuckles picked himself up off the ground, charred and dazed. "Oooohh…" He moaned. "I think you singed my little piggy eyebrows…"

Dave walked up and grabbed the amulet from Chuckles, holding it just out of the pig's reach. "Looks like your evil plans are all up in smoke." Said Dave, as the others groaned at the joke.

"Curse you Dave the Barbarian and… you girl with a Keyblade! I shall have my revenge!"

Chuckles clapped his hooves together and disappeared in a flash.

Sky saw that he'd left something behind and picked it up. They were small pebbles, unlike any she'd seen before. Grayish green in color. She remembered that she was supposed to look for clues and placed some of the pebbles in her pocket.

"So, we won, right?" Candy asked.

"For now." Oswidge replied. "But Chuckles may try using the Heartless again."

"Don't worry," Said Sky. "If there's any more trouble with the Heartless here, we'll be back."

"Thanks." Said Dave. "And I'm sorry your family wasn't here."

"That's alright, I just have to keep looking, that's all. Thank you all for your help, but we have to get going now."

"Don't be strangers." Said Lula.

"We won't." Whiskers replied.

---

The trio left the castle and returned to the Gummi ship, their next stop was Radiant Garden.

As Sky piloted the ship, Whiskers looked around at all the buttons and levers and switches. He noticed one button with the words "PRESS ME!" written on it.

Whiskers thought "Why not?" and pressed the button.

Suddenly, Cid appeared on a large holographic screen and shouted "Hey kiddos!"

Sky Brandy and Whiskers nearly jumped out of their skin from the shock.

"Gramps! I thought you took that stupid button out years ago!" Sky shouted.

"Hey, calm down. I thought since the ol' Gummi ship was going back into action I'd better put it back in, so we could stay in touch. So, any luck?"

"Kinda… Maleficent had been there, but she left before we could find her. So now we've got to keep searching."

"I see. I'll tell Tron to keep scanning then. Did ya find any clues to help narrow the search?"

"Oh yeah! I found these weird green rocks." She took the pebbles out of her pocket and held them up for Cid to see.

"Hmm… well bring 'em back here and Tron and Me'll take a look at 'em."

"Right."

"Okay then, anything else?"

"I just have one question." Said Brandy. "CAN YOU PLEASE NOT SCARE US LIKE THAT ANYMORE?"

Cid just laughed. "I'll try. Good luck you guys."

The screen disappeared and Sky just sighed. "That's Gramps for you."

"Sky, what about that other thing?" Whiskers asked. "That voice you heard, and that blur that helped us?"

"Oh yeah," Said Sky. "Well, I kinda have a theory about that. I think it was…"

But before she could finish the Gummi ship jolted. Sky looked out the window to see a Heartless ship firing at them. Sky fired back and destroyed the enemy, but noticed that their own ship was badly damaged.

"We've got to land." Sky told the others.

"Where?" Brandy asked.

Sky looked around, but there were no worlds in sight.

But out in the distance she saw something. And whatever it was it was getting closer.

Sky soon saw that it resembled a ship, like the Black Pearl. But she had never heard of such a ship out in space like this except for Captain Hook's ship. She also noticed this ship seemed far more futuristic than any she'd seen before.

Sky was unsure about this vessel, but what choice did they have?

"Looks like that's our next stop." She said, as she prepared to land.

* * *

I got the "PRESS ME!" button idea from the Kingdom Hearts Manga, which is awsome, so read it if you ever get the chance.

I wonder if any of you can guess who the mysterious rescuer was and what the ship is supposed to be?


	7. Treasure Planet

Here's another chapter for ya. Man, I'm kinda surprised no one guessed what movie the ship was from. Oh well, I hope you all enjoy this!

(As always, I only own Sky and any other OCs in this fic. Nothing else.)

* * *

Sky, Brandy, and Whiskers hid the Gummi ship on the vessel and looked around.

"Nice ship." Said Whiskers. "Kinda like a _pirate_ ship."

"I doubt it." Said Sky. "I've seen pirate ships, and none of them were this high-tech."

"You sure no one's going to mind that we just show up like this?" Brandy asked.

"Of course they won't. We'll just explain our situation and they'll be glad to let us stay till the Gummi Ship's ready to go."

But Sky's optimism fell when they walked up to the deck of the ship and saw it crawling with the weirdest, meanest, most cut-throat looking creatures since the Heartless themselves.

These various creatures, heard Sky Brandy and Whiskers walk up on deck and turned to glare at them.

"Oh boy…" Sky whispered, certain a fight was coming. But then she heard a voice.

"What's going on here?" Sky turned to see a cat-like woman, dressed in what resembled a captain's uniform. Similar to Captain Jack Sparrow's only more modern and certainly much nicer looking.

"Well?" Captain Amelia repeated.

"We found thessse three ssstowawaysss Cap'n." One of the creatures hissed. This being looked like a cross between a spider and a scorpion.

"No, no, no," Sky protested. "We're not stowaways! We were in our own ship, but it got damaged, so we had to board yours."

"A likely story." Amelia replied. "We've not seen another ship since we left port."

"No, seriously." Brandy argued. "We did, it's just our ship is… well… kinda small."

Sky looked around and noticed three figures standing not too far away from the captain. One was a very thin man who resembled a dog. Especially his floppy ears. The other was a large man with a robotic arm and leg, and even a robotic eye.

But the one that caught Sky's eye was a young man about her age. He seemed to be the only human among the whole crew.

"Captain," Said Doctor Delbert Doppler, the dog-like man. "Perhaps they're telling the truth. I did happen to see something that may have been a small ship earlier."

"I'm sorry Doctor," Amelia replied. "But for whatever reason they are here they will only get in the way."

"What if we could earn our keep?" Sky asked. "If we were useful then you could let us travel with you for awhile, right?"

"Perhaps…" Amelia agreed. "But the three of you don't look like you could be of much use. What can you do?"

"Well…" Said Sky.

Suddenly the conversation was interrupted, as several Shadow Heartless appeared.

"Heartless? Here?" Brandy cried.

"They must have followed us!" Said Sky.

"All hands get to your battle stations!" Amelia shouted.

The crew followed her orders and immediately began to fight back the Heartless. Sky Brandy and Whiskers did the same.

Sky fought the creatures off with a combination of Keyblade attacks and fire spells. But the sheer number of Heartless made the battle difficult, especially since she had lost sight of Brandy and Whiskers in the confusion.

Sky turned just in time to block an attack and blasted the Heartless with a ball of fire. She slowly backed up but turned around fast when she bumped into someone. She saw that it was the boy she saw earlier, holding a laser pistol.

They both looked at each-other briefly, then turned around to find themselves surrounded by several Heartless.

"This doesn't look good…" Said Sky.

"Yeah…" The boy replied.

"Want to give me a hand with these things?"

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing."

Sky smiled. "Alright then. By the way, I'm Sky."

"Jim Hawkins."

Sky nodded, as did Jim, and the two jumped into action.

Jim blasted the Heartless, creating a cover for Sky to attack with the Keyblade. Sky swung the Keyblade, taking out one or two Heartless at once. She turned and saw some of the shadowy creatures attacking Jim, and hurled the Keyblade at them. It flew through the air and sliced through the Heartless like a saw blade, before returning to her hand.

"Nice move." Said Jim.

Sky nodded. "A little trick I picked up from my dad."

Sky heard more Heartless behind her and turned to fight again.

Meanwhile, Jim used a combination of laser blasts and kicks to fight of more Heartless.

Soon, all the Heartless were beaten and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes! Another victory for Whiskers the great!" Said Whiskers.

"Wow, I'm actually getting the hang of this!" Brandy cheered.

"Excellent work." Amelia congratulated the crew. She turned to see Delbert hiding behind a crate. "You can come out now Doctor. And you three…" She turned to Sky Brandy and Whiskers. "I'm quite impressed. Perhaps we have a place for you in our crew after all."

"Thank you Captain." Said Sky.

Amelia turned to the cyborg Sky had seen before. "Silver, it looks like you've three more charges to care for."

"But Cap'n," Long John Silver replied. "I've already got me hands full as ship's cook. Plus you've already asked me to watch over young Jim here. Don't you think all this is a bit much for an old cyborg like me?"

"I'm sure these three won't be too much trouble. Just make sure they have plenty of work and keep in line."

"Aye Cap'n…" Silver hung his head in defeat.

Amelia nodded and turned her attention back to the crew. "All right, back to work. Your not here to stand around idly."

The crew followed orders and went back to work sailing the ship.

Silver turned to Sky and Jim and looked them over. "So…" He said. "I suppose I'd best be puttin' you scallywags to work."

"Work?" Brandy asked, horrified.

"Of course. There's no free rides on this ship, especially not when ol' Long John Silver's got anything to say about it. So come on, the lot of you. We'll start by scourin' out the pots' 'n' pans in the galley." Silver walked away, and Sky and the others slowly followed.

"Is he always like this?" Sky asked Jim.

"No." Jim replied. "He's worse."

The group made their way into the galley, but before they did Sky couldn't help but notice the scowl she received from the scorpion creature.

---

Several hours later, Sky, Jim, Brandy, and Whiskers were all about ready to collapse from all the work they'd done. After cleaning the pans, Silver had them clean the whole galley. Then he had them cook a meal for the crew, then they had to clean everything again, then had them swab the entire deck, then they had to replace some old ropes, then they had to cook dinner, then clean the galley again! Needless to say, they were all very tired.

The group of four, finally getting a break, had taken up temporary residence on the port side deck and watched the stars as they sailed through space.

Sky felt at peace for the first time in awhile. It was amazing to her that she was so far from home, yet the stars all looked familiar.

"Something on your mind?" Jim asked.

Sky turned to the young man standing next to her and shook her head. "Not really… except… I'm kinda homesick."

"I know what you mean."

Sky suddenly felt the urge to learn more about Jim. "So, how come you're here?"

"Well, believe it or not, we're going after…" Jim looked around to ensure no one was listening. "…treasure."

"Treasure?" Whiskers asked excitedly.

"Yep. Just keep it to yourselves, okay?"

"Sure." Brandy replied. "But what treasure are you looking for?"

"Captain Flint's treasure. The loot of a thousand worlds."

Jim went on to explain the old legends of Captain Flint, the pirate who plundered ships and disappeared without a trace. He explained that all the treasure was kept on one secret planet. Treasure Planet. He told the story of an old alien who landed on his planet and died, but left him a strange device which turned out to be a map. But soon after, pirates came and attacked, destroying Jim's home. He then, with the help of Doctor Doppler, got a ship and crew and went after the treasure.

When Jim asked what brought Sky out so deep into space, Sky explained her own story, right up to when the Heartless attacked the Gummi ship.

"Huh. Sounds like we're both leading adventurous lives nowadays." Said Jim.

"Yeah," Sky agreed. "I just hope I can save my parents."

"I'm sure you can. The way you fought those… heartless things, I'll bet you find your family in no time."

"Thanks Jim. So… what about your parents?"

"My parents? Well, my mom's back home on Montressor…"

"And your dad?"

Jim paused. He turned away and looked out at the stars. Unaware that Silver had walked up and was listening in.

"I don't know…" Jim finally replied. "He left a long time ago. Apparently he just didn't want to be a father anymore and headed out… without even saying goodbye."

"Jim…" Said Sky. "I'm sorry."

Sky felt so awful for Jim. The idea of a father just leaving like that had never occurred to her. She had been very lucky, but never quite appreciated it until now.

She placed her hand over her good luck charm, but was surprised to feel two instead of one. She picked one up and nearly fell over from surprise when it transformed into a pink, blob-ish creature. "What the-?"

"Ah, I see you've met Morph." Said Silver, walking up as though he'd just arrived.

"What's a Morph?" Brandy asked, as she Sky and Whiskers watched the floating creature.

"He's a shape-shifter." Silver explained, and to demonstrate Morph changed into a small replica of Brandy. "One of the best companions a sailor could ask for, he is."

"He is kinda cute." Brandy admitted, petting the shape-shifter.

"You young pups did well today." Silver continued with a grin. "However, that was just the start. Tomorrow the real work begins, and like it or not, I'll be pounding a few skills into your thick skulls."

"Don't do us any favors." Jim grumbled.

"Ah, you can be sure of that Jimbo. Now, you had all best be getting some rest. You got an early start in the morning."

Silver walked away with Morph following behind as Sky and the others groaned.

---

The next day Sky and the others discovered Silver wasn't kidding. First thing he did was have them swab the decks end to end. And with all the commotion, it wasn't easy.

Sky was swabbing her section of the deck when she heard some of the crew whispering.

Something about the secretive way they'd been acting seemed suspicious to Sky, but she didn't have much time to wonder about it when the scorpion creature appeared next to her.

"Ssstowaysss like you Sshould mind their own busssinessss." He hissed.

"I _was_ minding my own business and cleaning up after you and the other pigs around here." Sky replied.

The alien narrowed his eyes and hissed. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you Wench. Or you might end losssing it." The alien snapped his claws, to add to his point.

Jim, knowing there would be trouble, walked up between Sky and the alien. "What's the matter bright eyes? You're getting pretty worked up over nothing. Got something to hide?"

The alien growled and raised a claw, only to have it gripped by a robotic vise. He turned to see the vise attached to Silver's arm.

"Now, now Mr. Scroop." Said Silver. "We needn't be losing our temper, do we?" Silver tightened his grip to make sure Scroop paid attention. "After all, they're only children. No need to cause a fuss. Am I right…?"

Silver tightened his grip even more, causing Scroop to wince in pain. "…R-right."

"Good." Silver let go of Scroop's claw and watched as the red alien walked away.

"Thanks." Sky said to Jim and Silver. "I thought for a minute we'd have a fight on our hands."

"Yeah." Said Jim. "What's his problem, anyway?"

"Never mind that." Silver said as he turned to face the two teenagers. "You two need to learn to pick your fights a little more carefully. Or you'll end up in a fight you can't win. Understand?"

"Yeah." Jim replied. "I guess so…"

"Good then. Now, back to work, both of ye."

"Yes sir." Said Sky.

Silver grinned and walked off.

Jim frowned and picked up his and Sky's mops.

"You know, he has a point." Sky said as she took her mop back.

"Yeah…" Jim admitted.

"Maybe he's not such a bad old cyborg after all."

"Yeah. Maybe not."

"Hey," Brandy called from the other side of the deck. "Do we have to swab this stupid deck by ourselves?"

"Sorry Brandy." Sky called back with a chuckle, as she and Jim got back to work.

---

Later, after all the work for the day was done, Silver went below deck to see the rest of the crew waiting.

"Ah, so we're all here." He said. "Good. Now, I been meaning to ask ye… have you all lost your blinking wits!" Silver's hand transformed into a sword, which he swung dangerously, causing the other aliens to scatter. "It's bad enough those blasted Heartless attacked when they did, but now you're all starting fights! We can't afford to give away our plans!"

"The girl wasss sssniffing about." Said Scroop. "I don't trussst her or that weapon of herssss."

"Don't you worry about those kids. I'll run 'em so ragged they won't have time to think. Don't worry… we'll have our treasure soon enough."

* * *

Hope I didn't rush it, or make anyone OOC. Please tell me if I did, so I can fix it! Anyhow, hope you enjoyed it. Later Taters!


	8. The Makings of Greatness

Hey again! Here's the next chapter, and thaks to my reviewers!

(Same disclaimer as always applies.)

* * *

Deep within Maleficent's castle, Chuckles knelt before Maleficent, who sat in a large throne carved out of wood and pleaded shamelessly. "Please, give me another chance! I didn't know what I was up against!"

"Idiot." Maleficent replied coldly. "It is your own fault that you underestimated your enemy, like the fool you are."

"It's not just that! Someone helped them! C'mon, I wanna join in your evil plans. Pleeeeease?"

"Enough!" Maleficent stood and struck the ground with her staff. "I've grown tired of your foolishness. There is no part for you in my plans. Now go, before I decide to turn _you _into a Heartless."

With a squeak of fear, Chuckles stood up and disappeared back to his own world.

"I'm surprised you didn't change him into a Heartless." A voice said. "Or at the very least, make a feast out of him." Maleficent turned to see the cloaked figure from Destiny Islands appear at her side.

"A fool like him would only make a weak Heartless." She explained. "And I doubt he would taste very good. At any rate, destroying him at all would be a waste of my power. His world will fall soon enough, and he shall vanish with it."

"What of the boy? I trust he's come to our side?"

"Indeed. He was only too willing to accept the power I offered him. He will make a fine addition to our cause."

"Yes… he is extremely powerful. No surprise, knowing his lineage. But then… Sky's lineage is similar."

"Never mind that wretched girl. As long as I hold her precious family, I hold all the power. The Keyblade will be ours soon enough…"

---

Sky sat in the galley with the others, peeling potatoes (or at least, that's what they resembled) and occasionally looking up at the doorway, wishing she could be outside in the sunlight.

Silver hadn't let up on their work any, and the four friends were growing tired of all the work. But even Brandy had to admit, it felt good to accomplish so much, and they were definitely learning a few things. Especially Jim.

"How many more of these things do we have to peel?" Brandy asked.

"About a hundred." Jim replied, only half joking.

Whiskers picked up another potato to peal, but was a little surprised when it transformed into Morph.

"Morph, you silly little shape-shifter." Whiskers said as he petted Morph.

"Morph's certainly taken a shine to the four of you." Said Silver, as he walked down into the galley. He looked around at the peeled vegetables or whatever they were and grinned. "Good work. Coulda been better, but good none the less. All right, how would you young pups like a little outing?"

"What do you mean?" Sky asked.

"The Cap'n asked me to do some scouting, so I'll be taking one of the longboats out. I could use some assistance and company though, so what do ya say?"

"As long as it doesn't involve peeling anything, count me in!" Said Brandy.

"I'm with her." Jim agreed. "Let's go."

Sky and Whiskers whole-heartedly agreed and the four of them followed Silver to the hold where the longboats were stored.

After getting one of the smaller boats into position, and opening the door on the bottom of the ship, Sky and the others followed Silver into the boat which then lowered itself down and into space.

Sky wasn't entirely sure how an open vessel like this kept them safe from the cold vacuum of space, but decided not to question it. She'd seen stranger things.

Silver raised the solar sail and handed the controls to Jim. "Care to try your hand at piloting this thing Jimbo?"

Jim grinned and took the controls. "Sure, I can give it a try."

Before anyone knew what was going on, Jim pulled the longboat out at top speed, maneuvering it like a pro.

"Wow Jim, you're a natural!" Said Whiskers.

"Aye, that you are." Silver agreed. "Where'd you learn to steer a longboat like this?"

"I've never really piloted a longboat before," Jim replied. "But it's not that different from a hover sail. I used to fly them all the time back home. Heh, kinda got myself in trouble with the law that way more than once."

"Hover sail?" Whiskers asked. "Sounds fun. You gotta teach me to ride one of them!"

"You think that's fun?" Sky asked. "You guys aught to try blitz-ball. My uncles Tidus and Wakka taught me to play last summer. It's so awesome."

"Never heard of it." Said Brandy. "Hey Whiskers, think its anything like coconut ball?"

Silver watched on as the four discussed different fun activities, and laughed and joked around. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Suddenly, the group heard a loud blast and saw a burst of light.

"What was that?" Sky asked.

"I'm not sure." Silver replied. "Let's get back to the ship, on the double."

---

"What's going on?" Amelia demanded as she quickly got to the deck of the ship.

Delbert looked out and saw a nearby star begin spewing out fireballs. "It's that star! It's dying out!"

Amelia turned to the crew just as Sky and the others came up on deck. "All hands, to your stations! Secure life-lines! Secure the solar sails!"

The crew replied with an "Aye Cap'n!" and got right to work.

Everyone tied a long rope around their wastes and Jim and Silver tied the other ends to the mast, making sure they wouldn't come undone, in case someone went overboard.

Two of the aliens took positions at laser canons and began shooting away fireballs. The rest of the crew immediately began securing the sails, so that they wouldn't be damaged.

Suddenly, the star shot out a giant blazing sphere, bigger than the whole ship. The aliens at the canons tried to blast it, but it continued coming towards them. Everyone thought for sure they were done for, but the fireball stopped suddenly and pulled back again. Everyone then noticed everything was starting to be pulled towards the star, which was now changing.

"Oh my…" Delbert gasped. "It's devolving into a… black hole!"

The Doctor's theory was correct, and the star fell in on itself creating a hole in space itself, the gravity of which was so strong not even light escaped.

The ship started moving towards its doom, and the crew started panicking.

"What do we do now?" Sky asked, as the ship was rocked by a wave of energy being thrown from the black hole.

"Blast these waves!" Amelia shouted, trying to regain control of the ship's helm. "They're so deucedly erratic!"

"No Captain, they're not erratic at all!" Delbert corrected, looking at a computer screen nearby. "In fact there will be another in 2.5 minutes, followed by the biggest magilla of them all!"

A sudden thought came to Amelia. "That's brilliant Doctor! We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"

"Sails are secure Cap'n!" One of the aliens reported.

"Good!" Amelia replied. "Now, release them again!"

"What!" Brandy demanded. "Is she nuts?"

"Do what she says!" Sky shouted. "She knows what she's doing!"

The crew quickly did as they were told, and began releasing the sails again.

The next wave which Delbert predicted hit the ship, just as Brandy Whiskers and Sky had gotten up the mast. The shock caused Sky to fly away from the mast and out of the ship's gravity. She floated up until reaching the end of her life-line.

"Sky!" Brandy and Whiskers shouted in terror.

"Help!" Sky called.

"Hold on, we'll think of something!" Whiskers called out.

On the deck, in the midst of all the confusion, Mr. Scroop approached the mast and saw the situation Sky was in. Smiling evilly, he decided now was the perfect time to get rid of Sky and with one snap of his claw, cut her life-line.

Sky screamed as she floated up and away from the ship.

"Sky! No!" Brandy shouted.

Thinking fast, Whiskers raised his wand and shouted "Gravity!"

The spell took hold of Sky and pulled her back to the mast where Whiskers and Sky grabbed her arms and held her tight.

"Brace yourselves!" Amelia shouted, as the sails were finally readied and the giant wave drew close.

Everyone held on tight, waiting for the impact. The wave hit and the sails filled. The ship flew away from the black hole at terrifying speed and when the wave finally died out Amelia engaged the thrusters and moved the ship as far away from the black hole as she could before they could get caught again.

"Excellent work Doctor." Amelia said with a smile. "Is everyone all right?"

Brandy and Whiskers helped Sky down, as she was still shaky and out of breath from her terrifying ordeal.

"Good Heavens," Said Delbert. "What happened?"

"Sky got flung off the mast and then her life-line didn't hold her." Brandy explained.

"Hmm…" Scroop said with a smirk. "It ssseemsss her life-line wassssn't properly sssecured."

Everyone turned to look at Jim, who blinked in confusion. "No, that's impossible!" He said. "I made sure they were secure! I…"

Jim turned to the mast but found that Sky's rope was no longer there. Unknown to anyone else, Scroop had removed the end of the rope still tied there.

Amelia and the rest of the crew turned to Jim, with disappointed looks on their faces.

Sky also turned to face Jim, but only saw him walk away sullenly.

Silver also watched as Jim walked away and shot a disapproving glare at Scroop.

"Are you okay Sky?" Brandy asked, as she and Whiskers helped her up.

"Yeah… I think so." Sky replied. "Just shaken up. That was pretty scary…"

"I'm just glad Whiskers got you down in time. I gotta say Whiskers, that was pretty awesome."

"Thanks…" Whiskers replied with a blush. "But I was just doing what Merlin taught me. I'm you're okay Sky."

"Thanks…" Said Sky. "But I'm more worried about Jim…"

---

Later, after the rest of the crew had settled down for the night, Sky Brandy and Whiskers ventured up to the deck to see Jim sitting among the ropes, looking sullen and miserable.

Sky slowly approached her friend and touched his shoulder. "Hey. What're you doing out here?"

"Nothing." Jim replied, without even turning to look at her.

Sky moved her hand away and tried to think of something more to say. "Um… nice night, isn't it?" Jim didn't reply. "Jim… please, just talk to me. You've been so quiet and withdrawn all day. I know you feel bad, but you don't need to, I'm fine. We all make mistakes sometim—"

"Don't you get it?" Jim interrupted, finally turning to face her. "I screwed up! And you almost died because of it! I'm always screwing up, and it always hurts someone else! You have no idea how that feels."

Sky puffed up her cheeks, the same way Kairi did when frustrated, and looked Jim right in the eye. "I don't? I was the one who watched helplessly as my entire family was taken away! I'm the one who should have helped them, and the one who should be finding them! But I didn't help them Jim, and I haven't found them yet…" Sky rubbed her face with the back of her hand to remove the small tears that had escaped her eyes. "…I don't know if I ever will…"

Whiskers and Brandy lowered their heads. They were beginning to feel the same despair at ever seeing their home again.

Jim looked sadly at Sky and sighed. "Sky, I…"

"What's all this blubbering for, now?" Sky and the others turned to see Silver walk up, Morph floating just above his shoulder.

"Nothing…" Sky replied, adopting Jim stubbornness.

Silver sighed and shook his head. "Let me tell you kids something. All of ye…" He turned to Sky, Jim, Brandy, and Whiskers and looked at their sad, despairing faces and smiled lightly. "You all have set out on your own journeys, and they seem like pretty rough sailing. After the first storm or two, you're about ready to turn hard to port and sail home again, but if ye do that… you'll never get anywhere but the port ye started in." The four friends looked at Silver, slightly confused. "What I'm saying is, ye can't give up! There's great things waiting at the end of your voyages, and you've all got the stuff it takes to weather whatever comes your ways."

"You… you really think so?" Whiskers asked.

"Aye. You've got the makings of greatness in you— All of you. Someday, you'll all achieve great things, and I…" Silver chuckled lightly. "I just hope I can be there to see it." Slowly, but surely, Sky and the others began to smile. Somehow, the old cyborg's words hit home and boosted their confidence.

Tears began falling down Sky's face again, but this time they were tears of happiness. She couldn't help but hug Silver around his large waist. Soon, Brandy, Whiskers, and even Jim followed her example.

Silver was quite surprised, but somehow didn't mind the show of affection. Though to tell the truth it was a little awkward. "Uh, well now…" He said, gently moving the four back. "I think it's time we all got some rest, hmm? Off with ye now, there'll be more work tomorrow."

Sky and the others smiled broadly and nodded. They all bid Silver good night and walked away.

Silver watched them leave and shook his head as Morph sat on his upheld index finger. "Getting' in too deep here Morphy…" He said. "Next thing ye know, they'll be saying I've gone soft."

Silver petted Morph on the head with a soft smile and walked off to get some rest himself.

Unknown to him, Scroop lurked in the rigging just above, hissing deviously as he spied on the old cyborg.

---

_Sky giggled and jumped up and down from excitement. She took her parents hands and they all walked together to a small cave opening, just big enough for a grown person to fit into._

"_Are we… going in there?" Sky asked, hiding behind Kairi._

"_Yeah, why not?" Sora asked with a chuckle._

_Sky dared another glance at the dark cave, but shrieked when she heard an odd growling. "There's a monster in there!" She cried._

_Sora almost burst out laughing, but restrained himself._

"_A monster?" Kairi said, feigning surprise. "How awful! Sora, you'll just have to defeat it."_

"_Sure thing," Sora said with a grin. "But I'll need help." He knelt down to look at Sky. "Think you can help me out?"_

"_But Daddy," She replied. "It's scary."_

"_Maybe it would be if we were alone, but we're not. We're all in this together Sky, and as long as we're together, we can face anything."_

"_Promise?" _

"_I promise."_

_Sky held back a moment, but then nodded. "Okay. Let's get that ol' monster!"_

_Sky boldly entered the cave, followed by Sora and Kairi. She stepped into the large, hidden place and looked around. It was empty._

_She looked up and saw sunlight filtering down through a hole in the roof of the cave. She saw by the rustling of some plants that air was also passing through it._

"_There's no monster in here after all." She said, turning to Sora._

"_Yeah, I guess not." Sora replied innocently._

_Sky frowned at him, puffing out her cheeks in typical little kid fashion. "You knew the whole time, didn't you Daddy?"_

"_Yeah… you got me. But you didn't know, and you went in anyway. You faced your fear."_

"_Sky looked at her father thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess I did. Cause you and Mommy were with me!"_

_Kairi smiled sweetly. "That's right sweetheart. And just remember, you never have to be scared as long as you have those you love around you."_

_Sky smiled back, then turned to look around the cave. She noticed one wall had something drawn on it and had a closer look. She was surprised to se a picture of…_

---

Sky woke up to find herself in a hammock. She slowly remembered where she was and rolled over to sleep some more. But as she started drifting off again she felt as though she was begin watched and slowly opened her eyes to see a pink face an inch away from her own.

With a start she fell out of her hammock. She jumped back up and looked around angrily. "Morph, what do you think you're doing?" She hissed, though she wasn't really all that mad with the shape shifter.

Jim, lying in a hammock nearby, groaned from the noise interrupting his sleep and sat up. "Try a little louder, I don't think the whole ship heard ya." He said, half bitter, half asleep.

"Eheh… sorry." Sky apologized.

Jim just shook his head and pulled on one of his boots as Sky continued looking for Morph. He reached for his other boot only to see it hop out of reach. He tried again and it moved farther away, this time floating up into the air.

Sky and Jim glared at the boot and sternly said "Morph!"

The boot stuck its tongue out at them and changed back into Morph. The little creature floated to a nearby crate and revealed Jim's other boot, holding it up tauntingly.

"Morph!" Sky called, chasing after the blob.

Morph dropped the boot and floated away, followed by Sky and Jim, who had retrieved his boot and put it on his foot.

The chase continued to the other side of the room, and Sky and Jim accidentally knocked Brandy and Whiskers out of the top and bottom hammocks they slept in.

"Hey, get back here!" Brandy shouted, as she and Whiskers got up and followed Sky and Jim.

The four friends continued chasing Morph, laughing all the way, until they reached the galley. Morph ducked into a barrel of fruits called Purps and Jim and Sky approached the barrel and looked inside. Unfortunately, Brandy and Whiskers didn't stop in time, and ended up causing all four of them to fall into the barrel.

"Ouch!" Whiskers yelped.

"Get your foot off my head Whiskers!" Brandy shouted.

"That's not his foot, that's my knee!" Jim complained.

"Whose hand is that!" Sky shrieked.

"Sorry!" Whiskers said with a start.

Soon, they all positioned themselves so that they weren't on top of each-other and looked around.

"Where'd Morph go?" Brandy asked.

The four looked down at the purps and noticed one of them glancing to see if they'd spotted it.

"**Aha!**" They cried, grabbing Morph before he could get away.

But before they could celebrate their victory, they heard someone walk in.

"All we're saying," Said one of the alien crew. "Is that we should kill 'em now."

Jim motioned for the others to stay quiet, as they heard the other aliens agree. Something was definitely up.

"We need to make our move, while they least suspect it. There's only six of 'em."

Sky and Jim heard a familiar sound of a footstep and the hollow thump of a robotic peg-leg, signifying Long John Silver walked in.

The four hiding in the barrel thought the plotting aliens had been caught in the act, but then Silver began speaking. "Listen here, the lot of you. We don't move till _I _say so! And if any of you do anything before then I'll gut ye myself!"

"Big talk…" Scroop said in a dark tone. "But that'ssss all it is."

"What're you on about Mr. Scroop?" Silver demanded.

"I've ssssseen the way you've gotten closssse to thossse kidsss." Scroop continued, reaching into the barrel to grab a purp. Whiskers, as frightened as the others, carefully held up a purp for the alien to grab. Scroop pulled the fruit out, none the wiser about the eaves-droppers, and turned to Silver. "Ye've grown a sssssoft sspot for them."

Silver looked worried. "What're you talkin' about?"

"I sssaw you last night Sssilver. What wass it ye ssaid to 'em? 'You've got the makingsss of greatnesss in ye.'"

The others eyed Silver suspiciously, ready to turn on him.

The old cyborg glared at Scroop. "Now you listen to me, the lot of ye! I care about one thing and one thing only! And that's Flint's trove! I just cuddled up to those sniveling brats to keep 'em off our trail. I told 'em some fancy words and made 'em feel as though I was being nice, and the little fools bought it! Now all of you shut your yaps, and don't make a move till I say so!"

Sky felt as though she'd been crushed by a boulder. How could Silver have done that to them? She looked around and knew the others felt the same, especially Jim.

"Land ho!" One of the aliens called from the crow's nest. Silver and his gang heard it and ran up on deck as fast as they could.

Silver ran to the railing and looked out to see the planet they were now approaching.

He reached for his spyglass but didn't find it on his belt. "Where the devil is it?"

Sky and the others got out of the barrel and looked at each-other sadly.

"I don't believe it…" Said Whiskers. "What'll we do now?"

"We have to tell the Captain." Jim replied. "Come on!"

Jim ran to the door, followed by the others. But their way was blocked as Silver stepped into the doorway.

"Jimbo, Sky…" Silver said, confused. He looked at the four in front of him and realized what had happened. "So, we're playing games are we?"

Jim and the others backed away.

"Yeah," Jim replied. "We're playing games…" Sky saw as Jim secretly picked up a knife and hid it behind his back.

"I see…" Silver rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "Well, ya know… I never did like games much. I always hated to lose…"

"Yeah… Me too!" Jim plunged forward and drove the knife into Silver's robotic leg, causing the cyborg to howl in pain and giving the four friends time to run past him and straight to the Captain's quarters.

Silver finally got back on his feet and limped up to the deck.

He shouted to his crew to get their attention. "Change of plan boys!" He called, transforming his hand into a sword. "We move **now!**"

The other pirates gave a cheer and immediately set to work raiding the ship for weapons and taking control.

---

"Pirates aboard my ship!" Amelia demanded, after Jim had related the story to her. "I'll see they all hang!"

Sky, Jim, Whiskers, and Brandy had gone straight to Amelia's quarters, making sure they brought Delbert with them and told her everything they'd heard. Amelia immediately went to work arming herself and tossed a laser gun to Delbert. "Ever used one of these Doctor?" She asked.

Delbert held the weapon with his thumb and fore-finger and examined it. "Well, yes, actually, uh I've…" He touched the trigger and accidentally blasted a nearby astro globe. "Uh… no, I'm afraid not."

Amelia rolled her eyes and handed another gun to Jim.

"Miss Sky," She said. "I trust you and your friends will make do with those weapons of yours?" The Keyblade appeared in Sky's hand and she nodded. "Good." She took out a small spherical object and tossed it to Jim. Sky knew it had to be the map Jim had told her about. "Guard that with your life Mr. Hawkins." Jim nodded and tucked the object into his pocket.

"Look!" Delbert shouted. The others turned to see several Heartless dressed as Pirates appear.

"Heartless again?" Sky asked.

"Silver must be controlling them somehow!" Brandy suggested. "Do we fight them?"

"No," Amelia replied. "We have to get out of here. We're far too outnumbered."

She turned and ran out another door, followed quickly by the others.

The group ran down to the hold, but before they could escape in a longboat they found they had been followed by several alien pirates and Heartless.

Amelia and Delbert quickly jumped into one of the boats as the aliens charged towards them.

Delbert aimed his laser and fired, but instead of hitting the pirates he hit a rope. However, the rope broke, releasing the longboat the aliens had jumped on, on their way towards their prey. The boat fell through the door and they plummeted to the ground below.

"Did you actually aim for that?" Amelia asked, both impressed and disbelieving.

"You know, I actually _did_!" Delbert replied, not quite believing it himself.

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers, with help from Jim, held back the Heartless, trying to get to the boat so they could escape.

Suddenly, Jim felt a tug at his pocket and turned in time to see Morph holding the map in his mouth.

Morph smiled playfully and floated quickly out of Jim's reach, just as Silver came down to the hold.

"Morph, come here boy!" Jim called, trying to get Morph's attention.

"Morphy, come here!" Silver called, petting his leg.

Morph looked back and forth between the two as they continued calling him, but finally decided to duck into a coil of rope.

Jim rushed to it and pulled out the map as fast as he could, just before Silver could.

"Jim!" Sky called, after they finally cleared a path to the boat.

Jim quickly ran to join them, as Silver's hand became a laser and he took aim at Jim. With his leg the way it was he couldn't chase him down, so this was the only way.

He was about to fire, but couldn't bring himself to it. He sighed angrily and glared, at Jim, who had gotten in the longboat with the others.

"Let's go!" Jim shouted.

"We can't!" Delbert replied. "It's stuck!"

Sky turned to see the ropes tangled in the pulleys. She then turned to see several Heartless rushing towards them.

"Whiskers!" She called. "On my signal burn the rope on your side with a fire spell!"

"Got it!" Whiskers replied, taking aim with his wand.

The Heartless drew dangerously close as Sky finally shouted "Now!"

She and Whiskers simultaneously used the fire spell to burn the ropes holding the boat, causing it to fall out of the ship.

Thinking quickly, Amelia grabbed the controls and piloted the longboat down to the planet's surface.

Unfortunately, before they could get there a pirate shot a laser canon at them, blasting the back on the boat.

The group plummeted to the ground, but fortunately Whiskers cast an aero spell to cushion their fall.

The boat came to rest among a group of strange trees and Sky and the others stumbled out.

"We made it!" Brandy shouted happily. "We're alive!"

"well," Said Amelia, standing up and dusting off her uniform. "Not one of my best landings, but it was good enough." She smiled but suddenly doubled over in pain.

"Captain!" Sky called, as she and the others rushed to Amelia's side. "You're hurt!"

"No, no, don't be silly." Amelia insisted. "Just some slight bruising. Now, Mr. Hawkins…" She turned to Whiskers, but after squinting and shaking her head she realized her mistake and turned to Jim. "…Let's see the map."

Jim pulled the map out of his pocket again and held it up. But his heart sank when the orb changed form and turned into Morph.

"Morph!" Jim shouted. "What are you doing here! Where's the map!"

Morph transformed into a small version of the map and a coil of rope, then showed the map being placed in the rope.

"It's still on the ship!" Sky groaned. "Great! Now what?"

"Now…" said Jim, looking up at the ship, floating above. "I think our first priority is to find somewhere safe to hide.

The others agreed.

"Very well," Said Amelia. "Let's get going."

"Oh no you don't." Delbert said sternly. "You're not going anywhere till I say so. We need to take a look at your injuries."

"Couldn't you guys just heal her?" Brandy asked Sky and Whiskers.

Sky shook her head. "I wish we could, but we're both almost out of magic. It'll take awhile before we can gather more."

"Then what'll we do next?" Whiskers asked.

"Sky and I will go find a safe place to hide." Jim replied.

Sky nodded in agreement. She turned to Whiskers and Brandy. "You two stay here and keep the Doctor and the Captain safe. We'll be back soon."

Whiskers and Brandy nodded.

"Stay safe." Said Whiskers, as Sky and Jim walked off into the strange jungle.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this! Oh, and if anyone is interested in seeing the art I've drawn for this story, just go to my profile and you'll find the links.


	9. The Loot of a Thousand Worlds

Sorry about the delay in updating. I had such terrible writer's block! (readers glare) Oh... ya heard that excuse? Uh... sorry.

Anyhow, hope you guys like this chapter! I personally don't, but hey Ioverly criticiseeverything I write. Enjoy!

(I own just as much as I did last time. NADA!)

* * *

Sky walked close behind Jim as they moved into the jungle, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of danger.

"Where are we gonna find shelter around here?" Sky asked, holding Morph protectively.

"I don't know." Jim replied. "Hopefully we'll find something before dark."

Sky nodded in agreement, but turned around suddenly when she heard a rustling. She didn't see anything, but couldn't shake the bad feeling that they were being watched.

"You think anything lives on this planet?" Sky asked. "Anything… dangerous?"

Jim stopped, as though the thought disturbed him too. "I'm not sure… probably not though."

"Yeah… you're probably right…"

Sky and Jim were about to continue when they both heard a rustling in the bushes nearby.

The Keyblade appeared in Sky's hand and Jim pulled out his laser. The two braced themselves and neared the bushes to try and discover the source of the noise, when suddenly they were pounced on by a robot.

"Oh thank goodness!" The robot shouted, hugging Sky and Jim tightly. "I'm saved! You don't know how long I've been stuck on this planet!"

Sky and Jim finally pulled away. "What do you mean?" Sky asked.

"I've been marooned here for years. I haven't seen another living thing in a century! Don't get me wrong, a little solitude is fine, but I mean, after a hundred years you… **you go a little nuts! **Hehehe."

"Who are you…?" Jim asked, a little freaked out by the odd robot.

"My name? Uh… don't tell me, uh… It's… um…" Jim and Sky glanced warily at each-other. "Um… uh… Oh! It's B.E.N.! BioElectronic Navigator!"

"Ooo-kaaay…" Sky said slowly. "I'm Sky, and this is Jim."

"Pleased to meet you both!" B.E.N. grabbed both of their hands, causing Morph to jump out of Sky's arms suddenly and hide behind Jim. "So, Sky, Jimmy, what brings you here?"

"It's Jim." Jim corrected, pulling his hand back before B.E.N. could shake his arm off. "And we're kind of in a hurry, we need to find a place to hide from some pirates and—"

"Pirates! Oh, don't even get me started on pirates! I don't like them. I remember Captain Flint; man did he have a temper!"

"Wait, you knew Captain Flint?" Sky asked.

"I think he suffered from mood swings, personally. But then I don't know about those kinds of things."

"But that means…" Sky started.

"…You know about the treasure!" Jim finished.

"Treasure?" B.E.N. asked.

"Yeah, you know, Flint's trove?" Sky replied. "Loot of a thousand worlds?"

B.E.N. scratched his rusted metal chin for a moment, then suddenly had a thought. "Wait… I remember… it… Treasure! Lot's of treasure! Buried in the centroid of the mechanism!" B.E.N.'s eyes began glowing and started to blur and flicker like a television screen. "And, and Flint wanted to make sure nobody ever found it so he had me help… help him… Ah!" B.E.N. began going haywire. "Data inaccessible!"

"B.E.N.!" Sky and Jim shouted.

"Reboot! Reboot!" Jim smacked B.E.N., successfully bringing the crazy malfunctioning to an end. "And you are…?" B.E.N. said to Jim and Sky.

"Wait, what about the treasure?" Jim demanded.

"Hmm… I want to say… Larry and Lilly. Am I right?"

"B.E.N.!" Sky shouted in frustration. "What were you saying before? About the centroid of the mechanism…?"

"I'm sorry, my memory isn't what it used to be. I've… I've lost my mind. Hehe, I've lost my mind! You haven't found it, have you?"

"What?" Sky and Jim asked simultaneously.

"My central memory circuit, it's missing." B.E.N. turned to show a part of his head missing, wires sticking out like unkempt hairs.

"Uh-huh…" Said Jim. "Well, we really need to find a place to hide, so I think we'll be going now."

B.E.N. frowned and he slumped sadly. "Oh… o-okay, I… guess if you need to go then… then I guess this is goodbye…" B.E.N. sadly fell to his knees and turned his face away. "I'm sorry I'm so dysfunctional… I really am. You go ahead and go, I understand…"

Sky looked pitiably at the poor lonely robot and turned pleadingly to Jim. "Jim…" She said softly. "We can't just leave the poor guy."

Jim sighed in defeat and turned to B.E.N. "Alright, you can come with us, but you have to stop talking."

B.E.N. pounced on Jim and hugged him tightly. "Oh, thank you!" He pulled Sky into a group hug and laughed. "Oh, this is fantastic! Me and my new buddies, searching for…" He stopped when he noticed Jim's displeased look. "Um… sorry. Being quiet now."

"And you have to stop touching me." Jim added, moving away from the crazed robot.

"Right, talking and touching, my two big no-nos. Hey, um, do you mind if we make a quick stop at my place?" Ben moved to a curtain of vines and pulled them back to reveal a large artificial structure. "Kind of urgent… Hehe."

Sky and Jim gazed at the building in disbelief and amazement.

"B.E.N.," Said Jim. "I think you just solved our problem!"

---

Sky and Jim quickly went back for the others and the group made their way into B.E.N.'s "house."

"Sorry about the mess," He said, as everyone came in through the large opening that served as a door. "You'd think in a hundred years I'd have cleaned up a bit."

Delbert, after carrying Amelia in and setting her down to rest, looked at some of the images on the wall.

"Look at these markings," He said. "They're identical to the ones on the map. They must come from an ancient civilization."

"Do you really think we'll be safe here?" Whiskers asked.

"Oh yeah, totally." Brandy replied. "There's no way Silver and his goons'd find us here."

"Hey look, more of your friends." Said B.E.N., pointing out the door. Hearing that, Sky, Jim, Brandy and Whiskers ran to look. They all gasped when they saw it was Silver and some of the crew. "Hey fellas! Over here!" Sky and the others jumped on B.E.N. to shut him up.

But it was too late. The pirates took out their guns and opened fire.

Sky and the others ducked out of the way quickly. Sky quickly summoned the Keyblade in case the pirates got too close, while Jim fired back with his laser.

"Stop wasting your fire!" Silver called to his men. He turned to the door and saw that Jim stopped firing as well. "Hello up there! Jimbo! Sky! If it be alright with the captain, I'd like a word with ye!"

"Come to bargain for the map no doubt." Amelia grumbled.

A sudden thought hit Sky. "Wait… that must mean…"

"He thinks we still have it." Jim finished.

---

Silver was about to give up hope when he noticed Sky and Jim come out of the ancient building and walk towards him.

Morph jumped away from Sky and happily flew to Silver.

"Ah, Morphy," Silver said with a smile, petting the shape-shifter. "I wondered where you'd gone to." The old cyborg petted Morph for another second or two before noticing Jim and Sky standing a short distance away, relatively close, but still far enough away to show they distrusted them.

Silver limped over to a nearby rock and sat down with a thud, placing a hand on his robotic leg.

"Ah, this old limb's been acting up…" He said. "Ever since what happened in the galley." He grinned at Jim and Sky, but they only looked back with distrust and resent. "Look… what ye heard back there –at least the part concerning you- it wasn't true. If that bloodthirsty lot thought I'd gone soft… they'd have gutted the lot of us." Their faces didn't change. "Look, if we play our cards right, we could all walk away from here rich as kings. I've figured out how to use those Heartless creatures to my advantage, so ye needn't worry about the others. What do ye say?"

Jim chuckled humorlessly. "You really are something…" He said. "All that talk of greatness? Man, you really had us fooled."

"At least you taught us one thing." Sky added. "You taught us to stick to it. And that's just what we're gonna do: Stick to it. And furthermore, we're going to make sure you never see one bit of that treasure!"

Silver's robotic eye glowed red as he stood up to face Jim and Sky. "Now you listen to me! That treasure is owed me, by thunder!"

"Well try getting it without my map," Jim replied. "By thunder!"

Silver glared at the two, but neither backed down. He turned quickly towards his crew but looked back. "Listen to this then. Either I get that map by dawn, or so help me I'll use the ships cannons _and _the Heartless and blast this place to kingdom come!" The cyborg pirate transformed his arm into a crutch to make it easier to walk. "Morph, come on!" Morph, who by now had left Silver's side and drew close to Jim, was hesitant. "**Now!**" The poor shape shifter screeched from fright and jumped into Sky's arms.

Silver looked regretful for a moment after seeing Morph cowering from him, but stormed off grumbling.

Sky pet Morph on the head and calmed him down as she and Jim watched Silver walk away.

---

Sky and the others watched the pirates as they sat around their fire at the base of the building, bottling the small group in.

"Now what?" Jim asked himself. "If we don't give him the map, we're dead. If we try to leave, we're dead. If we stay…"

"We're dead." Whiskers finished. Brandy promptly smacked him in the back of the head.

"If we could just get to the ship." Said Sky.

"But how?" Jim asked.

"I have no clue. Hey Whiskers, your magic recharged yet?"

"Almost." Whiskers replied. "I don't know why it's taking so long though."

"Well the sooner the better." Sky glanced over her shoulder at Delbert, as he took care of Amelia.

"Oh this is hopeless!" Brandy cried. "I knew getting on that stupid ship was a bad idea!"

"Get a hold of yourself!" Said Jim. "Crying is not going to help us right now!"

B.E.N. shifted uneasily. "I think the four of you need some alone time." He said. "I'll just step out the back door for a minute."

"Wait a minute!" Said Jim, turning to look at B.E.N. with the others. "Back door?"

"Sure, its right over here."

"**B.E.N.!**" Sky, Brandy, and Jim shouted.

"Why didn't you tell us there was a back door!" Brandy demanded.

"You never asked." B.E.N. replied.

"You know, he's right." Said Whiskers. "We never did ask that."

Jim glared at Whiskers for a moment before turning to B.E.N. "Where is this back door?"

The "back door" B.E.N. was talking about was actually a hidden passageway into an underground tunnel of sorts.

Jim quickly came up with a plan to get to the ship and retrieve the map, and Sky volunteered to go with him. It was decided that B.E.N. and Whiskers would also go, and Brandy would stay with Delbert and Amelia.

After following B.E.N. through the tunnel, they came to another hidden door located near the pirate's camp, but fortunately they were all asleep.

"Now how do we get to the ship?" Whiskers asked.

Jim pointed to the pirate's longboat, tied nearby. "We'll just borrow a ride from them."

---

After "borrowing" the longboat, Jim, Sky, Whiskers and B.E.N. returned to the ship and silently snuck aboard.

Well, Sky and Jim were silent. B.E.N. and Whiskers weren't quite as stealthy, as they tripped over the railing and shouted before falling down with a crash.

"SHH!" Sky and Jim hissed.

"Sorry…" Whiskers said with a chuckle.

"So what's the plan Jimmy?" B.E.N. asked.

"Sky and I will go and get the map," Jim replied. "You and Whiskers stay here and… keep a lookout."

"Aye-aye!" Whiskers and B.E.N. said in unison, saluting Jim.

"And try to keep quiet!" Jim reiterated, and he and Sky walked off.

Whiskers and B.E.N. stayed put for a minute, but obviously got bored quickly.

"So, we just stand here…?" Whiskers asked.

"Yup…" B.E.N. replied.

"Oh… okay… Just standing here."

"Doing nothing in particular… while Jim and Sky go have all the fun…"

The two sighed heavily.

After a pause, B.E.N. jumped up and turned to Whiskers. "Hey, I've got an idea! Instead of staying here, let's help Sky and Jimmy out by disabling the ship's cannons!"

"Yeah!" Whiskers agreed. "And then they'll be so proud of us!"

The two ran off to their self-appointed missions, not quite realizing just how much trouble they'd end up causing.

---

As Sky and Jim silently made their way to the hold to find the map, Sky looked back nervously. It didn't look like any of the pirates were still on board, but she still had a bad feeling.

"You don't think B.E.N. and Whiskers will do anything stupid, do you?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." Jim replied. "Knowing those two…"

The two stopped and looked at each other before muttering "Probably."

---

Whiskers and B.E.N. snuck down to the engine room to disable the cannons and found the wire box.

"All we gotta do is disable the cannons," Said Whiskers. "How hard can that be?"

"Yeah," B.E.N. agreed. "All we need to do is disconnect a couple wires."

Whiskers opened the door to the wire box, but he and B.E.N. gasped in horror to see hundreds of multicolored wires. And neither of the two had any clue as to which one went to the cannons.

---

Jim and Sky made it safely to the hold and soon found the coil of ropes. Jim reached in and pulled out the map.

"Yes!" He and Sky cheered.

But their joy was cut short when the alarms started going off. Of course, they had Whiskers and B.E.N. to thank for that one.

"Those idiots." Jim grumbled. "They're going to get us all killed!"

Jim and Sky prepared to run but turned around fast when they heard something.

They gasped when they saw Mr. Scroop, standing menacingly over them and smiling evilly.

The two turned and ran out of the hold, Scroop right on their trails. They ducked into a corner and drew their weapons.

Scroop soon walked up and Jim and Sky jumped out to attack, but suddenly the lights went out. By the time Whiskers and B.E.N. had gotten the emergency lights on, Scroop was gone.

"Where'd he go?" Sky whispered, gripping the Keyblade.

"I don't know…" Jim replied warily.

Meanwhile, hiding just above them, Scroop smiled wickedly, preparing to go in for the kill.

He hadn't counted on one thing however, and that was a little shapeshifting stowaway who popped out of Sky's pocket and transformed into a boxing glove, punching the alien in the face.

Sky and Jim heard Scroop shout in pain and turned to see he swat Morph away. He then jumped down and chased the two teens once again.

Sky and Jim ran to the deck and turned to fight, finally having enough room to safely face the alien. But just as Scroop appeared Whiskers and B.E.N. turned off the gravity, and all three of them floated up.

"Not again!" Sky screeched, grabbing a rope nearby and holding on.

Jim floated all the way up to the top of the mast before he was able to grab hold of something.

Scroop floated up above him and grabbed the mast with his claws. He looked down at Jim menacingly. "Now cabin boy…" He hissed. "I'll finish you off like I tried to finish the girl. Only thisss time, there'ss no bunny to interfere."

Scroop raised his claw to strike but was suddenly hit by a cold blast. He turned down to look at Sky who aimed the Keyblade at him and smiled.

Jim took the opportunity and kicked Scroop off the mast, leaving him to float into space.

"Are you okay?" Jim called to Sky.

"Yeah, just a little shaken." Sky replied. "You?"

"I'd be better if the gravity was back on."

Coincidentally, B.E.N. and Whiskers found the right wire and restored the gravity at that moment.

Sky and Jim climbed down and soon saw their two bungling friends walk up, covered in wires.

"Cannons disable Captain Jimmy Sir!" B.E.N. reported with a salute.

"Yeah, it was a piece of cake, aside from all the times we got electrocuted." Whiskers added. "How about you guys, any trouble getting the map?"

"Oh no," Sky sighed. "No trouble at all. Come on, let's get back to the others."

---

Sky and the others stealthily returned through the secret tunnels and returned to B.E.N.'s house, now covered in shadow.

"Guys," Jim called triumphantly. "We did it! We got the map!"

"Fine work Jimbo…" A familiar voice said from the shadows. Silver stepped out and took the map. "Fine work indeed."

Sky gasped and turned to see Delbert Amelia and Brandy all tied up.

"Let them go!" Jim shouted angrily.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Silver replied. "Leastwise, not until I've found the treasure." Silver inspected the small device, but couldn't figure it out. He tried all kinds of different variations of his arm to get it working, but couldn't get it. "How the devil does this thing work?"

Jim chuckled to himself and shook his head. He casually took the map back and pushed a few buttons.

Suddenly, a vast hologram came out of the orb showing entire galaxies and countless worlds. Sky even glimpsed Radiant Garden among the many worlds in the miniature universe and wondered if she could find Maleficent's world with this map.

The hologram disappeared and a holographic trail appeared instead, flying out across the planet, leading to the treasure.

"All right," Said Silver, grinning from ear to ear. "Tie 'em up and leave 'em here while we-" Suddenly, the holographic trail disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared."

Silver turned to Jim, who still held the map. "You want that treasure," He said. "Me and my friends are going with you."

Silver growled quietly, but knew he had no choice.

---

Silver and his crew, along with their captives Sky, Jim, Brandy, Whiskers and B.E.N., followed the trail across the surface of the planet. Silver had left Delbert and Amelia behind, with a pirate to guard them. They were intended as "insurance" should Jim decide to betray him.

The trail soon led to a steep cliff, but then stopped.

"What is this?" Silver demanded. "No tricks boy!"

"It's not a trick!" Jim replied, trying to get the map to work. "This has to be the end of the trail!"

"Then where's the blasted treasure?"

"Yeah, where is the blasted treasure?" Whiskers repeated, causing Brandy to promptly smack him.

"You're not helping!" She shouted.

"Treasure?" B.E.N. said, rubbing his chin. "That sounds familiar… something about… about the centroid…"

"The centroid of the mechanism!" Jim and Sky gasped, remembering what B.E.N. said before.

"That's it!" Jim called. "What if this whole planet is some kind of machine? Then the treasure must be in the center!"

"But how do we get to it?" Silver asked.

Jim looked around and soon noticed an indentation in the ground. Not surprisingly, it was a perfect match with the map.

Jim placed the sphere in the indentation and stepped back when a large portal opened up.

Silver stared in awe at the giant door, big enough for a ship, and saw the world beyond it.

Sky gasped in amazement when she saw the world they were looking at was none other than Twilight Town.

"But…" She whispered. "That's so far away…"

"It's a portal," Jim explained. "This must be how Flint could disappear the way he did." He looked down at the map to notice a smaller version of the hologram from before, showing several different worlds.

"But how do we get to the treasure?" Silver asked, still staring at the door.

"It's all a matter of knowing where to look." Jim replied. He located Treasure Planet on the map and touched it. The door shifted from Twilight Town to a gigantic cavern.

Jim slowly approached the door, followed closely by Sky and Silver, and then the others.

After walking through the door, Sky almost forgot to breathe as she and the others gazed at the sight before them.

"By the powers that be…" Silver gasped. "Would ye look at that!"

There before them was the treasure. And when I say 'the treasure', I mean **_the _**treasure!

Mountains of gold and jewels as far as the eye could see, and even farther! There was so much treasure, it put the cave of wonders to shame!

The pirates cheered and jumped into the treasure, swimming through it like it was water.

Brandy was drooling as she looked at all the treasure. "Whiskers, we're rich! Rich!"

Before anyone could stop her, Brandy dived in with the pirates, putting on as many of the necklaces and rings as she could find.

Jim turned to see a small ship, laying among the treasures, and moved towards it.

"What are you doing?" Sky asked quietly as she and B.E.N. followed.

"We're getting out of here," Jim replied. "And we're not leaving empty handed."

Silver meanwhile, had forgotten all about his crew and captives and knelt down to hold all the gold coins and shimmering jewels in his hands.

"After a lifetime of searching…" He said softly. "I've finally found it."

Jim Sky and B.E.N climbed aboard the ship and found it also filled with treasure.

Sky gazed longingly at all the wealth but gasped when she saw that that wasn't all that was on the ship.

"What's that?" She said.

Jim and B.E.N. turned to see what she was pointing at.

"Captain Flint," B.E.N. gasped. "In the flesh… sorta."

There he sat, the long decayed skeleton of Captain Flint. His four eye sockets and long fangs making him an imposing figure even in death… or perhaps more so.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Said B.E.N. "There was something about this place, something Flint didn't want anyone to know… oh to be cursed to lie without my memory!"

Jim looked at the skeleton and noticed its hand was closed tight over something.

Jim slowly reached for the object and pulled it out of the captain's lifeless grip. It seemed very familiar.

"Hey B.E.N.," Said Jim. "I think I found your mind!"

Jim walked up to the robot and moved the device back into place in the vacant area on B.E.N.'s head. The wires automatically reattached themselves to their proper places and the circuit snapped back into place.

"Whoa!" Said B.E.N. as the circuit returned to his head and his mind returned to normal. "Wow, that's an interesting sensation. Hey! My memories are back! Oh, I remember everything! My whole life, right up to the time Flint pulled out me memory circuit to make sure I never told anyone about the giant booby trap he set up!"

"What!" Sky and Jim shouted.

Suddenly, a huge blast rocked the ground.

"What the devil's going on!" Silver demanded.

Before anyone could realize what was happening, several explosions shook the planet, creating cracks in the ground beneath the treasure.

The treasure began falling into the cracks, pulling many pirates with it.

"Brandy!" Whiskers called, pulling his friend out of the treasure. "We've gotta go!"

"No! I'm not going without the treasure!" Brandy yelled back, resisting Whiskers' attempts to pull her away. "I deserve all this wealth Whiskers, I deserve it!"

"What good will treasure do you if you're not alive to spend it?"

Brandy suddenly stopped and returned to her senses. "That's a good point…"

Another explosion turned their attention to the old ship which Sky Jim and B.E.N. were trying to get off of.

"We've gotta get to Sky and the others!" Said Brandy. "Come on!"

The dog and bunny ran to their friends.

Meanwhile, what few pirates remained ran for the door.

"Come back you cowards!" Silver shouted. He turned to see more and more of the treasure disappearing, but noticed the old ship. If he could get it to fly he could take what little treasure he could carry and escape.

Sky Jim and B.E.N. rejoined Brandy and Whiskers just as another explosion nearly shook them off their feet.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Said Jim. The others agreed and were about to head for the door when Morph noticed Silver and quickly floated out of Sky's pocket and flew to his old master.

"Morph!" Sky called, chasing the shape shifter.

Jim and the others followed her, but before they could catch Morph they became surrounded by Heartless.

Several Pirate Heartless drew in around the group and began moving in to attack.

"Heartless?" Brandy asked, getting out her shield. "Why are they here now?"

"They must have only followed Silver's orders to get to the trove." Jim replied.

"What good is treasure to Heartless?" Whiskers asked.

"They don't want the treasure," Sky said, holding the Keyblade tightly. "The heart of this world must be in here!"

The Heartless attacked, and the four friends fought them off. But there were so many, it didn't seem like they could win.

Morph floated up to Silver who had reached the old ship.

"Morphy!" The old cyborg called happily, petting Morph. "I'm glad to have ye back."

The reunion was interrupted by another explosion, which created another crack right next to the ship. It leaned towards the hole, about to fall in, when Silver caught it. "Oh no you don't!" He growled, holding on to the ship and using his robotic arm's strength to hold it.

He heard a noise and turned to see Jim, Sky, and the others fighting for their lives against the Heartless and his own heart sank. He knew if they didn't have help the Heartless would overtake them, or the planet would blow before they could escape.

But what was he to do? If he let go of the ship, he'd lose the treasure forever. But if he didn't, he'd lose something else.

Finally, Silver made up his mind and growled to himself. "Oh, blast me for a fool!"

Silver released the ship and it feel into the oblivion. He rushed to the others and sliced the Heartless with his sword.

"Need some help Jimbo?" Jim and the others were amazed to see Silver helping them, but gladly accepted his assistance.

With Silver's help, the Heartless were soon driven back, but only temporarily.

Waves upon waves of Heartless appeared, and Sky knew it was time to beat a hasty retreat.

The group ran to the door and jumped out as fast as they could.

"I don't understand…" Sky said, turning to look at Silver. "You've searched for that treasure your whole life. And now you're giving it up?"

Silver chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's nothing Sky. After all, not all treasure is silver and gold and jewels."

Sky smiled but turned when she heard a noise.

The entire group turned to see the ship fly up to them.

"Ahoy!" Delbert called. "Everyone get onboard, we're getting out of here!"

Sky and the others smiled. They weren't sure just how they'd managed to escape the pirate guarding them and get to the ship, but all that mattered now was getting away.

Once everyone was safely on board, the ship turned to fly away from the doomed planet, which was no beginning to blow up from all the turmoil down below.

Suddenly, the ship was rocked by a giant fireball that flew from the ground, and debris flew from the destroyed engine.

"What happened?" Amelia asked as she leaned against the railing, still not quite healed.

"It's our engine," Delbert replied. "It's been destroyed. But that means we… we'll never escape the planet's explosion."

"We're doomed!" Brandy wailed, sobbing hysterically.

"Oh, no, I'm too young to die!" B.E.N. cried. He and Brandy fell into each-other's arms and cried together.

Jim looked and saw a flat piece of metal and an old jet thruster lying nearby, most likely from the explosion. He ran to the material and began working on it.

"What are you doing?" Sky asked.

"We need to turn the ship around and head for the door." Jim said sternly.

"The door?" Whiskers asked. "But the only thing through there is a raging inferno and a Heartless infestation!"

"Yeah, but I'm going to open a _different _door!" Jim explained, as he tried to attach the thruster to the piece of metal.

Silver saw what he was doing and promptly changed his hand into a welding torch and welded the two pieces together.

Jim and Silver lifted the strange skateboard like contraption onto the railing. Jim then jumped onto it, but was surprised when Sky jumped on too.

"You don't think I'm letting you do this alone, do you?" She asked with a smirk.

Jim smiled and shook his head.

"We're gonna get to the map and open the door to somewhere safe." Jim explained to Silver. "You and the others keep the ship head for it no matter what."

Silver nodded as Jim started the thruster and head for the map.

"You heard him!" Silver called. "Get this heap turned 'round!"

Delbert quickly turned the ship to head for the door, while Amelia carefully instructed him in what to do.

Jim piloted the jetboard towards the door, while Sky swatted any fireballs away with the Keyblade.

They had made it halfway there, and were a little ahead of the ship, when the thruster gave out. Jim tried to reignite it, but it wouldn't fire.

Sky pointed the Keyblade at the end of the thruster and used the last of her magic to cast a fire spell, reigniting the flame before they fell to their deaths.

Jim and Sky saw that the ship was ahead of them now and hurried to get to the map before their friends entered the door and it was too late.

They were catching up now, and soon were neck-and-neck with the ship. The map was close now, and Sky closed her eyes, knowing it would be too close for comfort.

Time seemed to slow down as Jim reached out and touched a point on the holographic map. The door shifted and the ship flew through into the space around another planet just as the planet exploded and disappeared.

Sky and Jim cheered loudly as they flew close to the ship, where they heard the others cheering as well.

"Didn't I tell ye they had the makings of greatness in them?" Silver said to Morph with a smile.

"They did it!" Brandy and B.E.N. cheered.

Brandy realized she was still holding B.E.N. and pushed him off. "Eww! Get away you rusty old robot!"

Sky and Jim came to land on the ship, where B.E.N., Brandy and Whiskers tackled them with hugs.

"Excellent work, all of you." Amelia congratulated. "I'd be proud to recommend all of you to the interstellar academy. You'd make fine officers."

"Thank you Captain!" Said Sky. "But I'm afraid Brandy, Whiskers and I will have to turn that offer down. We've got something else we need to take care of." Amelia nodded understandingly.

Jim turned to look for Silver, but didn't see him or Morph anywhere on the deck.

---

Silver silently snuck through the hold to the last longboat.

Morphy sadly whimpered as Silver tried to untie the boat.

"Now, now Morphy." He said. "You know we have to make tracks."

"You never quit, do you?" Silver jumped and turned to see Jim, followed by Sky, Brandy and Whiskers.

"Ah, Jimbo," Silver chuckled nervously. "I was just… making sure our last longboat was secure."

"Oh, right." Said Jim, as he bent over to inspect the rope. Without a second thought, he took the almost untied rope and secured it. "There, should hold now."

Silver couldn't help but smile at the four kids. "Ah, I taught ye too well."

"Silver," Said Sky, in a no-nonsense way. "After all that's happened, after all you did, do you really think we can just let you leave?"

"Oh Lass," Silver replied, holding Morph in his hand. "I'm truly sorry for what I did to ye… but me and Morphy here would just as soon avoid prison. Morphy here's a free spirit. Being in a cage would… would break his heart."

As though he wished to further Silver's point, Morph whimpered pathetically.

Jim looked at Sky, Sky looked at Brandy, and she looked at Whiskers. Finally, all four nodded and Jim untied the boat.

Silver smiled gratefully and jumped into the longboat, but stopped and turned to the others.

"Say, why don't you come with me?" He asked. "You'd all make the finest crew a captain could ever want, and we could go from world to world, having all kinds of adventures, and finding all kinds of treasure."

Jim smiled, but shook his head. "You know, when I got on this ship I'd have taken up that offer in a second." He replied. "But I met this old cyborg who taught me I could chart my own course."

"And he taught us," Sky added. "That great things await at the end of our journeys. And that we can't give up, no matter how bad the storm. So I'm gonna weather the storm Silver, and find my family." Whiskers and Brandy nodded in agreement.

Silver smiled warmly at the four standing before him. "Look at ye," He chuckled. "You've truly grown up since I first laid eyes on the lot of ye. Aye, there's no doubt you'll all achieve great things."

Sky and the others smiled and hugged Silver tightly. This time, Silver returned the hug.

When they finally let go, Sky, Jim, Brandy and Whiskers stepped back and smiled at Silver.

Morph floated up to Jim and Sky and sadly nuzzled both of their faces.

"Aww, don't be sad Morph." Said Sky. "It's okay."

"Yeah, keep your chin up Morph… if you have one." Jim added. "See ya around."

"See ya around." Morph mimicked.

The shape-shifter said his goodbyes to Brandy and Whiskers and floated to Silver.

Silver let Morph perch on his finger, but saw how sad he was at leaving his friends.

"Morphy," He said. "I've got a job for ye. Keep an eye on these here pups; keep 'em out of trouble. Can you do that Morphy?"

Morph happily saluted, then nuzzled Silver affectionately before floating to Jim's shoulder.

Silver chuckled and began lowering the boat.

"Oh," He said, fishing something out of his pocket. "I almost forgot." He tossed something to each of them. "Your share. I figure you've more then earned it."

They all gasped to see the small but beautiful collection of gold and jewels in each of their hands, and Brandy nearly fainted.

"Oh thank you Silver!" She squealed.

"Keep out of trouble," Jim said with a chuckle as Silver's longboat lowered. "You old scallywag."

"Why Jimbo," Silver replied. "When have I ever done otherwise?"

Jim, Sky, Brandy, Whiskers and Morph waved goodbye as Silver's longboat left the ship and sailed away to who knows where.

Sky sighed sadly as she realized the Gummi ship would be ready to fly by now.

"I guess its time for us to go too." She said, turning to Jim.

"Do we have to?" Whiskers asked. "I was just getting to like it here."

"Sorry Whiskers. The others will be worried about us, and we've still got a castle to find."

"Will I ever see you guys again?" Jim asked.

"You can count on it." Sky replied with a smile. "When you're friends with me, you're friends for life."

"Same here." Said Brandy. "I mean, why else would I still be hanging around Whiskers?"

Jim chuckled, as did Morph.

"Good luck you guys." Said Jim.

"Thanks." Sky replied. "You too. And tell B.E.N. and the others we said bye." Sky turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Let's go guys."

The three returned to the Gummi ship and found it in working order, at least enough to reach Radiant Garden, and took of back into space.

Sky sighed as she piloted the ship, remembering all she'd learned on her little side-trip.

Whiskers noticed the PUSH ME! Button flashing and decided to press it.

"**Where in the name of Walt's sketchpad have you been?" **Cid bellowed from the screen, nearly cause Sky and Brandy to have a heart attack.

"Sorry Gramps," Sky said between gasps for air. "We experienced some trouble with the ship and got stranded for a few days."

"Jeez, do you have any clue how worried we've all been?" Cid chided. "Leo and Yuffie were ready to hop in a ship and search the galaxy for you three, Tron and I've been contacting world after world seeing if anybody knew where you were, it was freaking pandemonium around here!"

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers hung their heads in shame and said "We're sorry."

"Ah don't be sorry, just get your sorry butts back here and I'll have a look at the Gummi ship. Oh, and you've got a visitor."

"Visitor?" Sky asked.

"Yeah, from Disney Castle. Queen Minnie sent 'em to help you guys."

"The queen sent them?" Brandy echoed. "Who'd she send?"

"I think after the way you've kept us in suspense all this time, the three of you could stand being left in the dark awhile. Just get back here and find out fer yourselves. See ya then!" Cid's image faded and the screen went blank.

"Who do you suppose the queen sent?" Whiskers asked.

"I dunno," Sky replied. "So let's hurry back to Radiant Garden and find out!"

---

Deep in Maleficent's castle, the dark fairy of evil spoke to one of her newest associates. "Sky is returning to Radiant Garden." She said, gazing into the orb on her staff. "I had hoped the Heartless would defeat her. But that wretched boy and that worthless cyborg helped her succeed in surviving."

"What do you plan next?" Her associate asked, as he adjusted the gauntlet on his hand.

"Simple, you will go to your own world and proceed as planned. I trust you know what you're doing… Mozenrath."

Mozenrath grinned at the witch and held up his gauntleted hand. "As long as it involves killing Aladdin, I think I can manage."

"Good. And one more thing. My apprentice needs training. A mission on the field to test his strength. I want you to take him with you."

"I'm not a baby-sitter Maleficent. I joined this team to get revenge on Aladdin and take control of Agrabah, not keep an eye on your pet projects."

"I assure you Mozenrath, he will be far more of an asset than a liability."

Mozenrath mulled it over a moment. "Very well. But he'd better not get in my way." With a swish of his cape Mozenrath walked away.

"On the contrary," Maleficent said deviously. "Perhaps it is _you _who should stay out of _his _way…"

* * *

Oooh, now what did ol' Maleficent mean by that? Find out next time! 


	10. Familiar Faces, Strange Danger

Hey! I'm back y'all! Here's another installment of KH: Return of Darkness! Or as I was originally gonna call it, KHGX. But that was too much like Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, so I decided on a different chapter.

Anyhow, this chapter's not really that great, but it does introduce a few new characters. Hope you enjoy!

(I own nothing but the OCs. And I don't own their parents either.)

* * *

"We're back!" Sky called as she Brandy and Whiskers walked into Merlin's house.

"SKY!" Suddenly, all three of them were tackled by Yuffie who hugged them till they couldn't breathe. "Thank goodness you're all right! I was so worried!"

"We're fine Yuffie… really…" Whiskers gasped. "But we won't be if you don't let us go…!"

"No way! It serves you three right, letting us worry like that!"

"Let them go Yuffie." Said Leo as he walked up. "They won't do anybody any good if their backs are broken."

Yuffie stuck out her tongue at him and let her three captives fall to the ground. "Whatever you say… Squall Jr."

Sky slowly picked herself up off the ground and rubbed her now sore back. "Hey, where's Merlin and Gramps?" She asked.

"They're up at the Gummi garage in the castle." Leo replied. "Cid asked me to take you there as soon as you got here."

"Alright, then let's go."

"Um, what about them?" Yuffie asked, pointing down to Brandy and Whiskers.

Sky looked down and saw the dog and bunny, either sound asleep from the exhaustion of their last adventure or passed out from the pain of Yuffie's hug.

Sky couldn't help but laugh. "Let's let them sleep. They've been through a lot."

"Okay." Said Leo. He carefully picked the two up and set them on Merlin's bed. "Now let's get going. We've got a guest waiting for you."

---

Sky, Leo, and Yuffie arrived at the castle and headed to the garage. They were almost to the door when they heard a loud explosion.

"What was that?" Yuffie asked as she Leo and Sky ran to investigate.

Inside, Cid coughed and swore up a storm. "What the blazes do you think you're doing Jumba!" He shouted at the large alien scientist who was in the smoke filled room with him.

"You cannot be rushing genius my friend," Jumba replied, in his usual accent. "Radiant Garden was not being built in a day, no? So my new invention has a few bugs yet, is simple to work out."

"And just what might your invention be?"

"Is top secret. Very hush-hush."

Cid growled at the evil genius, but brightened up when Sky, Leo and Yuffie entered.

"Oh, so yer back huh?" He said. "Good. Sorry 'bout the mess. Jumba here's got another one of his hair-brained inventions cookin'."

"Really?" Sky said enthusiastically. "What is it Jumba?"

"Ah, Little Girl," Jumba replied. "Is good to be seeing you. I am working on a special new warp engine for the Gummi ships. It will cut travel time between world in half!"

"Oh sure, you can tell her but not me." Cid grumbled.

"So," Sky continued. "Where's this visitor?"

"Oh yeah, she's around here somewhere…" Cid looked around and turned to a Gummi ship resting in a hangar. He knocked on the hood. "Hey, she's here!"

The hood popped open and out hopped a small blond mouse wearing goggles. "Hi Sky!" She called cheerfully, lifting the goggles off her eyes.

"Gadget!" Sky called back. She held up her hand for Gadget to hop onto and smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Queen Minnie realized she'd sent you guys off without someone to chronicle your trip." Gadget explained. "So I volunteered for the job. But by the time I got here you weren't around, so I've been helping Cid and Jumba here in the Gummi garage."

"And I must say," Cid added. "She's a pretty great help. I'm not sure how Chip and Dale are getting along without her at the Disney Castle garage."

"Yeah, they didn't really seem that thrilled to let me go either." Gadget said with s giggle. "Hey Sky, where are Brandy and Mr. Whiskers? I'd like to meet them."

"Oh yeah," Said Sky. "We left them back at Merlin's house. Hope they're doing okay."

---

Brandy slowly awoke from her pleasant nap. She smiled softly, comfortable in Merlin's nice, soft, warm bed. But her smile quickly faded when she opened her eyes and saw Whiskers face an inch from hers.

Whiskers also woke up and smiled warmly. "Good morning Brandy." He said cheerfully.

With a scream Brandy shoved Whiskers off the bed and onto the floor. "EEWWW!" She yelled, though she was blushing brightly.

"Ouch…" Whiskers squeaked, as he slowly stood up. "What was that for?"

"What were you doing so close to me you freaky rabbit!"

"Me? What about you? You were the one close to me. And why are you blushing?"

"You… you…!"

"I hate to interrupt," Tron's voice came from the computer monitor, making Brandy and Whiskers jump. "But Sky asked me to tell you to meet her up at the castle."

"Oh, uh… T-thanks Tron." Brandy jumbled, now terribly embarrassed. "Come on Whiskers, let's go!"

Brandy got up and stormed out the door, followed by Whiskers.

They hadn't gone far, however, when they got lost. And to make matters worse, it was starting to get dark.

"Brandy… where are we?" Whiskers whimpered.

"Ugh, how should I know?" Brandy snapped. "How could Sky just leave us there like that? She should have known we wouldn't know our way around!"

"Brandy… its getting kinda dark… and this place is kinda spooky. Don'tcha think?"

"Oh don't be ridiculous. I'm not scared."

Slowly, a hand came from behind Brandy and tapped her on he shoulder. Brandy shrieked and jumped onto Whiskers.

"Excuse me," Someone said. "Are you Sky's friends?" Brandy and Whiskers turned to see a girl standing behind them with long blond hair.

---

"Hmm…" Said Merlin, as he inspected the jewels Brandy brought from Treasure Planet. "Yes Sky, I'd say your hunch is correct. There are definitely several items here that can be useful in item synthesis. And look here." He held up one gem in particular. "It seems you've found another summon charm."

"Really?" Sky asked.

"Yes, however its not currently in working order. Hold on one moment while I cast the proper spell." Merlin waved his wand over the charm and it began to glow. The image of a purple mask appeared on it. "There now. I'm not entirely sure who this will summon, but don't worry. Like your father's summoned friends, yours will have a special magical link to you. When you summon them you will know who they are and they will know you. Quite handy, eh?"

"Yeah." Sky agreed, pocketing the charm. She turned to Cid. "What about those rocks I found?"

"They're definitely a clue," Cid replied. "But it'll take us awhile to pinpoint their origin."

Sky groaned.

"Hey Sky," Sky turned to see Brandy and Whiskers walk in. Brandy didn't seem happy. "What's the big idea leaving me alone with this perverted rabbit?"

Sky smiled nervously. "Sorry, I didn't think you'd mind the nap. Wait… since when is Whiskers perverted?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Brandy huffed and turned away.

"Sorry we took so long," Said Whiskers. "We kinda got lost. But then we found some help."

"Help?" Sky asked. "From who?"

The blond girl walked in and smiled sweetly at everyone. "From me. Hi Sky, it's nice to see you."

"Zephyr!" Sky called and jumped to hug the girl. "It's great to see you too!"

Zephyr smiled again and turned to face the entire group. She was a very beautiful young woman, with longs straight blond hair that went to the middle of her back. She wore a blue sun dress and a white jacket. Her blue eyes shone with as much light as her mother's, but also seemed uncertain.

"Ah, hello Zephyr," Said Merlin. "What brings you here? I thought you were accompanying your mother in Port Royal."

"I was, but then we got word of what was going on. Mother wanted to return, but there was still a lot to do. And father and Leon didn't want to leave her alone with the Heartless returning, so I came alone. But don't worry; they'll be here as soon as they can be. By the way Sky, Will and Elizabeth Turner send their best wishes."

"I see." Said Sky. "I hope they come soon. I can't wait to see Aunt Aerith, Uncle Cloud and Uncle Leon."

Everyone stopped when they heard a beeping sound.

"I'm detecting a strong presence of dark energy," Tron explained over the computers in the room. "Everyone come to the computer room."

Cid nodded and turned to Jumba. "You're comin' too Jumba. Last thing I need is for you to blow up the garage. Again!"

Jumba scoffed. "You're just jealous of my evil genius."

The group left the garage, but Zephyr lagged behind, looking troubled. Leo noticed and stopped to talk to her.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, why do you ask?" She replied.

"I get the feeling you're not just here for Sky alone. You're looking for _her_ aren't you?" Zephyr paused a moment, but nodded slowly. "You shouldn't worry so much Zephyr. She can take care of herself."

"I know, but… it's been awhile since anyone's heard from her. Mother and father are both worried, and so am I. I know it's not my job to look out for her but…"

Leo nodded understandingly. "I know. Don't worry; I'll help you find her."

Zephyr looked up and smiled warmly. "Thank you Leo."

---

In the computer room, Cid typed away on the monitor, trying to help Tron pinpoint the location of the dark energy.

"Aha, there it is!" Cid called triumphantly.

"Where is it?" Sky asked, anxious to see if this turn of events would bring her closer to her goal.

"We've pinpointed the dark energy somewhere in Agrabah," Tron replied. "And its a strong reading."

"You'd better get over there Sky." Cid suggested.

"Right." Sky replied. "Come on guys, let's go save another world!"

"What about the Gummi ship?" Brandy asked. "It's still in pretty bad shape."

"Not to be worrying." Jumba replied. "You can use new Gummi ship, designed by me."

"Just don't let it blow up on ya." Cid grumbled.

"I heard that!"

---

After listening to Jumba and Cid argue for awhile, Sky, Brandy, Whiskers, and the newest member of the crew, Gadget, set out to Agrabah.

The new Gummi ship, J-001. Or as Cid called it, Fire-Hazard.

But despite what Cid said, the J-001 handled extremely well, and Sky thoroughly enjoyed piloting it.

They reached Agrabah in record time and disembarked in the desert outside the city.

"Wow, nice place." Said Whiskers, admiring the view.

"Whiskers, you're looking at a barren desert." Brandy grumbled. "The city is _that _way!"

Whiskers blinked and turned around to face the great city of Agrabah. "Oh! Yeah, that's definitely a much nicer looking place!"

Brandy smacked her forehead.

"Come on, let's go!" Sky called, racing to the city's gates.

Once in the city, the three friends noticed everything was strangely quiet.

"Where is everybody?" Whiskers asked.

"I don't know…" Sky replied. "This is kinda weird."

Suddenly, a figure ran into view and raced towards Sky. "GANGWAY!"

Sky shrieked and tried to move away, but the figure ran right into her, knocking them both down.

The person that ran into Sky, a boy around her age with dark hair, sat up and smiled nervously. "Oops… sorry about that Sky." He said.

"What the heck were you doing running around yelling like that Caz?" Sky demanded. It was obvious to Brandy and Whiskers now that the two knew each other.

"Well," The boy began. "I was running from something."

"From what?" Sky heard a noise and turned to see that they were now surrounded by creatures swinging deadly looking swords. "Oh… the Heartless. I see."

The Heartless drew closer to Sky and the others, preparing to attack.

"Come on guys," Sky said, grasping the Keyblade. "They're just Shadows. So let's do it!"

"Right!" Brandy and Whiskers agreed.

Sky lunged and swiped away at the Heartless, while Brandy threw her shield like a Frisbee, slicing three of the Shadows in half. As for Whiskers, he tried out his new Thunder spell and blasted any Heartless nearby. Finally, all the Heartless were defeated.

"Nice moves back there Sky." The boy from before said as he stepped closer to Sky. "But since when does uncle Sora let you use the Keyblade?"

Sky scoffed. "Like you were such a big help back there Caz." She punched him in the arm playfully.

"So, who're your friends?" Caz asked.

Brandy stepped forward to introduce herself. "I am Brandy Harrington. Of the Florida Harringtons."

"I'm Mr. Whiskers," The rabbit said. "Nice to meet'cha!"

"The name's Cassim," The boy said with a slight bow. "Prince of Agrabah. But since you're friends of Sky's, you can call me Caz." Caz was about Sky's age, and a little taller than her. He had short dark hair, brown eyes, and wore a simple grey shirt with matching pants.

"What's going on here Caz?" Sky asked. "Why's everything so quiet? Is it the Heartless?"

"Yup. They showed up a while ago, and everyone's been too scared to go outdoors. The guards have been trying to deal with it, but it is the Heartless after all."

"So why are you out here?"

Caz rubbed his chin thoughtfully and smiled charmingly. "I thought I'd try and find a solution to this problem. After all, chicks dig a hero."

Sky doubled over laughing. "Yeah, but I doubt girls really find it attractive when you run away like that!"

Caz grumbled indignantly. "Humph. Excuse me for not having a fancy Keyblade to fight with. Hey wait… that reminds me. Why do you have the Keyblade? And where's uncle Sora?"

Sky stopped laughing and sighed heavily. "C'mon Caz, let's get to the palace. I think this is a story everybody needs to hear."

* * *

There it is. And as I said, new characters. Jumba from Lilo andStitch as a new Gummi ship builder (Hey, Geppeto made Gummi ships, why not Jumba?) Gadget from Rescue Rangers as the new keeper of the journal, and my two new OCs, Zephyr and Caz. As you must know, Zephyr is the daughter of Cloud and Aerith, and Caz is the son of Aladdin and Jasmine. Sorry if any of you hate the Aerith/Cloud pairing. I really would like him better with Tifa if this was a FF7 fic (I've heard Aerith dies in that anyway) but for KH I'm Cloud/Aerith all the way!

Anyhow, stay tuned to the next chapter to finally see the identity of Maleficent's apprentice revealed! Or not. Depends how long the next chappie is. Later!


	11. Agrabah

Hey y'all out there in cyberspace! Glad to see you've joined me for this latest chapter to the story!

Anyhow, this chapter starts to answer some deep questions, tho not quite yet. That'll be for the next chappie.

Enjoy!

(I only own the OCs of this fic. And not entirely even, as they are meant to be the children of the characters I don't own. Ah well, that's life.)

* * *

Caz led Sky Brandy and Whiskers to the palace where Aladdin, now the Sultan of Agrabah, and Jasmine welcomed her warmly. When they asked her why she'd come without Sora or Kairi, Sky explained everything that had happened and the mission she was now on.

"I don't believe it…" Aladdin sighed as they all sat in the throne room. "Sora and the others captured. This is terrible."

"But it does explain why the Heartless have resurfaced." Jasmine added.

Aladdin nodded and turned to Sky. "At least you escaped. I'm sure you'll be able to find them, and we'll do everything we can to help."

"Thanks Uncle Aladdin, Aunt Jasmine." Sky replied with a smile.

"Now," Said Jasmine, turning to Caz. "Care to explain why you were outside the palace, after we told you to stay put young man?"

Caz chuckled nervously, looking around at anything but his parents' faces. "Well… uh… I just needed to get out of the palace for awhile, ya know? I'm sure _you _understand that, right?"

"Cassim, what you did was wrong." Aladdin said sternly. "You could have been hurt."

"Come on Dad, I can take care of myself! And besides, if I hadn't been outside the palace, who knows what would have happened to Sky and her friends?"

"Um, actually, we were doing just fine." Said Brandy, causing Caz to groan. "In fact, it was _us _that saved _you_."

"Ugh, why not just put my head on the chopping block and get it over with?" Caz groaned.

"Aw, come on Al, don't be too hard on the kid." A friendly voice said out of thin air.

Brandy and Whiskers looked perplexed, but Sky and the others just grinned. Suddenly, a blue man appeared in a puff of blue smoke.

"You know what they say Al:" Genie continued. "Boys will be boys. I seem to remember another certain young here-to-be who didn't always follow the rules." Genie disappeared and re-appeared next to Caz. "C'mon, can you honestly stay mad at him?" Caz smiled as sweetly as he could. "Sure, he may have snuck out, but don't worry, he's sorry and promises it will never happen again." Caz nodded, but yelped when he suddenly found himself locked in a cage wearing a striped prisoner's uniform. Genie was also dressed as a security guard. "And I'll make sure he sticks to his word!"

Aladdin and Jasmine laughed. "Thanks Genie," Said Aladdin. "But I don't think we need to go to such extremes."

"Okay, suite yourself." Genie snapped his fingers and the costumes and cage disappeared. He turned to Sky and caught her in a big bear-hug. "Sky! How's my favorite world-hopping key-bearer's daughter?"

"It's great to see you Genie…" Sky gasped. "But you're crushing me.."

"Oops! Sorry, my bad." He let her go and smiled. "Don't know my own strength sometimes." He noticed Brandy and Whiskers and floated up to them. "Hey, who's your friends?"

"Hi," Said Brandy, a little intimidated by Genie. "I'm Brandy Harrington, of the Florida Harringtons…"

"Florida? I love Florida!"

"Really? Have you ever been there?"

"Nope! But I like the word 'Florida!' And who might you be, my rather pungent floppy-eared friend?"

"Name's Mr. Whiskers." Whiskers replied. "Wow, I've never seen a real genie before! Well unless you count that girl on that old t.v. show with the astronaut."

"Oh, you mean Jeanie, spelled J-E-A-N-I-E. Yeah, she's an old pal of mine, we go way back!"

"Really? Sweet!"

"Ahem, I hate to interrupt," Said Brandy. "But isn't there an important matter we need to take care of?"

"Like what?" Genie and Whiskers asked.

"The Heartless!"

"Oh, them!" Said Genie. "Yeah, they're so annoying. What _are_ we gonna do about them?"

"We need to figure out who's controlling them." Sky replied.

"Allow me to save you the trouble." Everyone turned to see a man step out of a dark portal, followed by a figure in a dark purple cloak.

"Mozenrath!" Aladdin growled. "What are you doing here?"

"Simple Aladdin," Mozenrath replied. "I've come to give you a chance to save yourself a lot of trouble by surrendering Agrabah to me."

"Wow, that's nice of you." Said Whiskers. Everyone glared at him. "…What?"

"And one more thing," Mozenrath continued. "I'm also here for the Keyblade. Now, if you all cooperate, this will all end swiftly and peacefully. If not, the Heartless will continue attacking until all of Agrabah falls. It's your choice."

"We'll never surrender Agrabah to you!" Aladdin replied.

"Or the Keyblade!" Sky added.

"It's your loss." Said Mozenrath. "Now you'll just have to suffer the consequences." Mozenrath turned to leave through the dark portal again when Aladdin charged him.

Aladdin raised his fist to strike Mozenrath, but was swatted away by the cloaked figure.

Jasmine and Caz ran to him as Mozenrath laughed. "Oh, did I forget to introduce my new assistant? Maleficent sent him to assist me. I'm surprised you don't recognize him Sky, after all… he is an old friend of yours." Sky's heart skipped a beat. Could he be…? "And now I'll bid you all farewell, until the next time we meet." Mozenrath entered the dark portal, and the cloaked figure followed.

"Wait!" Sky shouted, running towards the figure. She almost reached him when he disappeared into the portal, which faded into thin air.

Brandy and Whiskers slowly approached Sky, who stood still as a statue.

"Sky? What's wrong?" Brandy asked.

Sky stood still and silent, staring into the space where the cloaked figure had disappeared.

"…K- Koji…?"

---

Mozenrath and the cloaked figure stepped out of the portal into Mozenrath's palace in the Land of the Black Sands, where his undead guards stood watch.

"All in all," Said Mozenrath. "A productive visit. I'm actually rather glad they didn't surrender, it makes it that much more fun."

"You're a fool Mozenrath." The figure said bluntly. "If it were me, I'd have taken care of the whole lot before they even knew what was going on. Haven't you faced defeat enough to realize just how little you theatrics work?"

Mozenrath glared at the figure. "You seem to forget my friend, Maleficent sent you to assist me, not question my methods and make snide comments."

Mozenrath turned to see a strange eel creature float up. "I have a report Mozenrath." The creature croaked.

"What is it Xerxes?"

"The Heartless have searched the cave of wonders, and have finally found what we were looking for."

"Excellent! Go and oversee their progress, and I will join you once I've dealt with Aladdin and his family."

"And what about Sky?" The figure asked. "As long as she's using the Keyblade, your plans are at risk. Let me take care of her and her friends, and the Keyblade will finally be ours."

Mozenrath laughed. "I admire your urge to fight, but the fact remains that she was once a friend of yours, as was Aladdin's son. Are you certain you can fight them so easily?"

"Trust me; I have no qualms about destroying anyone who gets in my way."

"Be that as it may, I have another job for you. Go with Xerxes to the cave and keep the Heartless in line. I will handle the girl myself."

---

Sky looked out at Agrabah from one of the palace's many balconies. She sighed sadly, trying to sort out everything going through her head.

Whiskers, Brandy, and Caz were with her, leaving Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie to discuss the next course of action.

Brandy placed a hand on Sky's shoulder comfortingly. "Are you okay? You don't really think that jerk with Mozenrath was Koji, do you?"

"Yeah," Whiskers added. "From what you told us about him, he doesn't seem like the type to join up with the bad guys."

"I know…" Sky replied. "In fact, from the way Uncle Riku hated Maleficent, I would think Koji would be one of the last people to ever join her, but… Mozenrath said that that guy was an old friend. Who else could he have meant?"

"Well," Said Caz. "You do have a lot of old friends. I should know, a lot of them are mine too."

"Huh?" Brandy and Whiskers asked.

"Yeah, Sky Koji and I all practically grew up together with a whole lot of other kids."

"Yeah," Sky continued. "They were all the kids of my dad's many friends across the universe. Every now and then we'd have these huge get-togethers on one of our worlds and have all kinds of fun."

"Remember that one year?" Caz asked. "We all got together and Cid took our picture with that thing called a camera. I think I still have my old copy of that picture somewhere."

Caz walked away towards his room, and the others followed. After searching through his many items he finally found a photograph, perhaps the only one in all of Agrabah.

"We all had copies of this picture," Sky explained. "We had one hanging up at home."

Caz held the picture up for Brandy and Whiskers to see.

"Ooh, Sky, you never told me your dad was so dreamy!" Brandy exclaimed.

"Uh, that's my Uncle Riku." Sky corrected and pointed Sora out. "_That's_ my dad."

"Oh. He's pretty cute too. Kinda skinny."

"Is that your mom?" Whiskers asked.

"Yeah," Sky replied with a smile. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yeah, and she looks a lot like you, too!"

"There's Aladdin Jasmine and Genie." Brandy pointed out.

"And Yuffie and Cid, and Merlin." Whiskers continued. "And is that Leo? Wow, he was a lot shorter then!"

"Aerith, Cloud, Leon, Tifa…" Caz continued.

"And there's you two!" Whiskers pointed the two out, Sky wearing a simple white dress with a star on the front, and Caz standing next to her, looking very uncomfortable in his royal outfit.

"Oh yeah, we were standing together." Sky mused, grinning at the memories.

"Of course, we were like a posse." Caz laughed. "There was you, me, Koji…" Caz stopped when he noticed mentioning Koji brought back Sky's depression. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "And then there were the others." He pointed out a young blond boy, looking very important in his royal cape. He bore a striking resemblance to Cinderella. "There's Richard. He always acted so royal, even by a prince's standards."

Sky pointed to a dark haired girl and a blond toddler. The dark haired girl was as beautiful as Snow White, but wore a frown. In her black dress, she reminded Brandy of a goth chick. The toddler had blue eyes, just like Alice. "There's Summer and Annie. Annie always looked up to Summer for some reason."

Caz pointed out a girl with light brown hair, shyly smiling as she stood next to Caz. She wore her hair similar to Aurora's. "There's Rose. I always liked her."

"You like any cute girl Caz." Sky sneered.

"Who's that?" Whiskers asked, pointing to a brown haired boy who stood frowning next to Koji.

"Oh, him?" Caz asked. "That's Will. He was a pal of Koji and me. Can't remember what got him so down though."

"I do." Said Sky. "That was the first get-together that he and Aunt Belle showed up alone."

"Oh yeah… His dad was away on official royal business in their world, right?"

"Yeah. And what's worse, they always showed up alone from then on. Poor Aunt Belle always tried to stay cheerful, but we all knew she was heartbroken."

"That was also when Will decided to get all mean and moody, remember? Suddenly he didn't have time to hang out anymore, and he bullied anyone he could."

Sky sighed heavily. "Could you blame him? He saw all of us hanging out with our dads, while his was off somewhere on business."

Suddenly, the trip down memory lane took a much more depressing tone and the group sighed dismally.

"I think maybe that's enough nostalgia." Caz said as he put the picture away.

"What now?" Brandy asked bluntly. "To be honest, I'm getting bored hanging around here."

"Me too." Caz agreed. "Let's go see if Mom and Dad have thought of anything yet."

The others agreed and they all headed for the throne room.

---

Sky and the others approached the door to the throne room when suddenly Sky felt something was wrong and the Keyblade appeared in her hands.

"The Heartless!" She shouted, just before she burst through the doors.

She and the others gasped when they saw Aladdin, Jasmine, and even Genie trapped inside a large cage. At the top of the cage was a bird-like head, and at the bottom were four talons. The lock on the cage was a Heartless symbol.

Around the Cage-Bird Heartless, she saw four Fat Bandit Heartless, and standing in front of all of them was Mozenrath himself.

"Oh my," He said, feigning shock at seeing the four teens. "I had hoped to catch you all by surprise."

"Let them go Mozenrath!" Caz shouted angrily.

"I'm sorry, but I need to keep them a little longer. I may not have all of you, but these three will do to keep you kids off my back. And don't think they can escape either. I've placed a magic seal over this Heartless that even the genie can't break!"

Caz frowned helplessly. "You… you creep!"

"Oh, my dear boy, you wound me by your harsh words." Mozenrath laughed cruelly. "Now if any of you ever want to see them alive, you'll bring the Keyblade to the Cave of Wonders."

"What? Why?" Sky demanded.

"You'll find out in due time. I suggest you hurry… The Heartless are starving for new hearts."

Mozenrath disappeared through a dark portal, taking the Cage-Bird and it's captives with him.

The Fat Bandits stayed behind, and glared at Sky and the others.

Caz, fighting back the tears of anger and pain that were forming in his eyes, picked up a sword that had no doubt been dropped by his father and pointed it at the Heartless.

"No more running…" He growled. "No more!"

Caz lunged for the Fat Bandit and sliced its arm. Sky Brandy and Whiskers followed suit and attacked the other Heartless.

Caz had little success against his large foe, but lunged away and ran to it's back, stabbing it mercilessly. The Heartless, probably still weak from fighting Aladdin Genie and Jasmine, disappeared, releasing its heart.

Sky struck at the Heartless she faced, pushing it back. But its large belly served as a shield, absorbing all her blows. The creature reared its head back and blasted Sky with a jet of flame; the only thing that saved her was a well timed blizzard spell.

Sky decided she'd had enough of the Fat Bandit, and when it charged after her she struck it with the Keyblade at an angle the caused it to bounce up into the air. Sky jumped up and struck it across the room, finishing it off.

Brandy and Whiskers each faced the other two Fat Bandits, but found themselves back-to-back, stared down by the Heartless.

Both Fat Bandits prepared to fire a flame jet at once, so Whiskers wisely pulled Brandy away at the last moment, causing the two Heartless to flambé each other.

"Nice one!" Brandy cheered, high-fiving Whiskers.

Caz panted, both from the exertion of battle and the rage he felt. He stopped suddenly though when he heard chattering. He turned to see a monkey peek from behind the elephant head throne and run up to him.

"Abu!" He said cheerfully, taking the monkey into his arms. "At least they didn't get you!" Abu nodded proudly and turned to the throne. He whistled and out floated a flying carpet. "Carpet, you're safe too!"

The rug flew up to Caz and hugged him.

"I know this has been said before…" Said Whiskers, as he, Brandy, and Sky rejoined Caz. "…But what now?"

"Now…" Said Sky, frowning determinedly. "…We head for the Cave of Wonders."

* * *

Hope the part with the photograph didn't bore you to death. Well if it did then you really wouldn't be reading this now would you? Anyway, beleive it or not it is pertinent to the story. Well, except for mentioning all those OCs. They probably won't ever make an appearence in the story. I just wanted to make a reference to the Seven Princesses of Heart, and the fact that two of them wereSky and Caz's mothers. I also had thought up other characters for the rest of the Princesses' children, and could think of no other way to include them.Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Later! 


	12. Arabian Knights and Daze

Nothing much to say this time. I'm feeling really lazy. Anyhow, enjoy!

(still own nothing but the characters I made up.)  
---------------------------------------------------------

Mozenrath appeared in the Cave of Wonders with the Cage-Bird Heartless and its captives to find Xerxes and the cloaked figure overseeing a large group of Neo-Shadows clearing rubble away from a certain area.

"Xerxes, report." Mozenrath commanded.

The flying eel creature floated to his master. "The Heartless have almost uncovered the Keyhole, just as you ordered Mozenrath."

"Excellent."

"Why uncover the Keyhole Mozenrath?" The figure asked, as he watched the Heartless. "Sora sealed it over twenty-one years ago. Besides, I thought Maleficent had other plans?"

"Indeed she does." Mozenrath replied. "But I have my doubts about this so-called 'Gaia.' And even if it does exist, it doesn't hurt to have a backup plan, does it?"

The figure chuckled. "No… I suppose not."

---

Carpet raced across the desert, carrying Sky and the others to the cave.

Sky stared down at the endless miles of sand as they flew by underneath. The excitement at the palace had helped her forget her worries for the moment, but now her mind was filled with questions. _What if Koji _is _working for Maleficent? What if I can't bring him back? What if I have to fight him?_

Sky shook her head to clear her mind. Now wasn't the time. Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie were in danger. Not to mention all of Agrabah.

"What is this Mozenrath guy's problem anyway?" Brandy asked.

"He's one of my dad's oldest enemies." Caz replied. "Well, one of his oldest _remaining_ enemies. I'd heard a lot about him, but I'm surprised to see him come back."

"What about this cave he was talking about?" Whiskers inquired.

"The Cave of Wonders is where my dad first found Genie's lamp. That was also where the Keyhole was, wasn't it Sky?"

"Yeah," Sad Sky. "But Dad sealed it up with the Keyblade. You don't think it has anything to do with Mozenrath's plan?"

"Who knows? Let's just hurry up and get there."

Carpet sped off and soon came to land at the Cave's entrance.

Sky and the others neared the giant tiger head and gazed at it in awe.

"Kinda looks like Lorenzo the Puma," Said Whiskers. "Dontcha think so Brandy?"

"**Who disturbs my Slumber?"** The tiger head demanded, causing everyone to jump back.

"Uh… hey there Mister Cave head Sir…" Said Caz. "Um… it is I, Cassim, son of Aladdin and Prince of Agrabah…"

"**Hmm… You have come to defeat Mozenrath." **This was more of a statement of fact than a question.

"Y-yes…" Sky squeaked.

"**Know this: Only those of true worth can enter here. Those whose strength is great. However… I sense doubt in you."**

"Doubt? What do you mean?"

"**You are unsure, deep within your heart. If you wish to enter, then prove yourself in battle."**

Suddenly, Sky and the others became surrounded by Luna Bandit and Fortuneteller Heartless. The group took out their weapons and attacked.

Caz sliced away at the Bandits, and Brandy struck them with her shield. Sky and Whiskers used fire and lightning against the Fortunetellers.

More Heartless appeared, and Sky knew it was time to get serious. She turned and nodded to Caz, who nodded back.

The two got back to back and jumped into the air. They pushed off each other, using the momentum to fly at the Heartless and slice away.

When they were done and the smoke cleared, the Heartless disappeared all at once.

"Alright!" Said Caz, holding his sword high in triumph. "Does that prove our worth?"

The head looked down on them and nodded. **"You have proven yourselves… though the Key Bearer's daughter still has doubt… you may enter." **The head opened his mouth to reveal the steps down to the cave.

Sky puffed out her cheeks at the head's blunt statement, but shouldered the Keyblade and led the way down the steps.

---

Mozenrath stood before the newly uncovered Keyhole, admiring its grandeur.

"Soon, all my work will pay off." He said with a grin.

"You'll never get away with this!" Aladdin called from the Cage-Bird Heartless. "Caz and Sky will stop you!"

"Please, don't make me laugh. As long as I have the three of you, there's no way those children will ever risk fighting me. I fact, I'm willing to bet that Sky will do anything to save you. Even use the Keyblade to unseal the Keyhole."

"She'll never help you!" Said Jasmine. "Neither of them will! They'll stop you."

"I doubt that my dear. Soon the Keyhole will be unsealed and Agrabah will be mine. Whether Maleficent gets her precious Gaia or not."

"Gaia?" Aladdin wondered out loud. "What is Gaia anyway?"

"I think I've heard of it before…" Said Genie. "It has something to do with a spirit… or something like that."

"Well whatever it is, I just hope Caz and Sky get here soon to stop him…"

---

Sky and the others entered the cave, and Brandy and Whiskers were amazed to see all the treasures littering the ground.

"Wow, it's like Treasure Planet all over again!" Brandy squealed in delight.

"Yeah, I just hope it doesn't blow up like Treasure Planet did…" Said Whiskers.

"Not unless you touch something." Caz warned.

Brandy and Abu sighed sadly.

"Let's hurry," Said Sky. "We've gotta find Mozenrath quick."

"Aw, what's the hurry Sky?" Sky and the others turned to see the cloaked figure standing at the top of a column. "I thought we could spend some time catching up."

"It's him again!" Brandy shouted.

Sky looked up, almost forgetting to breathe. Did she dare ask…?

"K… Koji? Is that you?"

The figure turned to her and shook his head. "Nope, guess again."

Sky's shoulders sagged, and she sighed heavily, both disappointed that Koji was still missing, but relieved that he wasn't on the wrong side.

"I'm not entirely surprised that you don't remember me," The figure continued. "Even if we were such close friends once. A 'posse'… right Sky, Caz?"

Sky and Caz gasped in shock.

"Now I recognize that voice…" Said Caz. "Will?"

"Finally!" Will cheered, clapping his hands. "I guess you guys have some brains after all!"

"Why are you working with Mozenrath and Maleficent?"

"Simple. Maleficent promised me she'd give me the one thing I want most if I help her: my freedom."

"Freedom? Freedom from what?" Sky demanded.

"From the world I lived in. From the obligations I had as prince. From having to live in my father's shadow ever again! And what will it cost to accomplish all this? Nothing much. Except… eliminating you."

"But Will, we're your friends, how could you!"

"You were my friends Sky… but then we all grew up. I had to grow up faster than the rest of you though, which is why I see my duty clearly. And that is to look out for number 1 at all costs."

"Fine, whatever you want Will." Caz growled. "But Mozenrath has my parents, and I'm not letting you stop me from saving them!"

Caz drew his sword and jumped to attack Will, but he swiftly jumped up and met Caz head-on, swatting the sword away and knocking Caz back down.

Sky and Whiskers rushed to help Caz up, as Will landed on the ground with the grace of a cat.

"Nice try." He sneered. "But it'll take more than that."

"How about this!" Brandy shouted angrily, hurling her shield at him like a Frisbee.

Not expecting such an attack from Brandy, Will moved to dodge too late, and the shield slammed into him like a saw blade, ripping his cloak to pieces and throwing him into the shadows.

"Booyah!" Brandy shouted triumphantly.

"Is that the best you can do?" Will sneered from the shadows. He tore off his ruined cloak and threw it aside to reveal his purple shirt and pants, with black marks on the shoulders and pants-legs.

"What…?" Sky gasped. "How could you still be standing after that?"

Will chuckled. "I forgot to tell you… Maleficent gave me a little gift… What my father considered a 'curse.' Now, I'm all but invincible."

Will slowly stepped out of the shadows, and what Sky and the others saw made them gasp.

He was the same Will Sky and Caz remembered, only now he was covered with brown fur. His hair was now unkempt, and sat on his head like a lion's mane. He had pointed ears, like a dog's ears, and horns on his head. His hands were clawed like a wolf's, and when he grinned they saw fangs.

Will had been transformed… into a beast!

"Will…" Sky said softly. "How… how did this happen?"

"Maleficent discovered that while my father may have broken his so-called curse, it still lay dormant within him, and was passed down to me. All she had to do was reawaken it, which I gladly let her do."

"But why?"

"Because Sky… I've heard all the stories. I know my father- no, the Beast -was powerful. Even Maleficent feared him. He was strong enough to destroy the Heartless, and anyone who stood in his way. But he gave that up. And what for? For a wife and son he never even saw? He is a fool. I don't intend on following in his footsteps. That's why I'm working with Maleficent… and why you must all be destroyed."

"Not gonna happen freak!" Brandy shouted, holding her shield ready.

Sky Caz and Whiskers also prepared to fight.

"Sorry," Will chuckled. "You don't have the choice."

Will pounced on them with a roar, slashing at Caz's upraised sword with his claws.

Whiskers fired a blast of Blizzaga at him, but he merely dodged and kicked the rabbit away. He then turned and caught the full force of Brandy's shield with his horns and shoved her down like a bull.

Sky jumped in and slashed away with the Keyblade, only for Will to catch it with his left hand.

"Very good…" Said Will, his face mere inches from Sky's as they both struggled against each other. "But you seem distracted Sky… maybe you're disappointed because you didn't get to see Ol' Koji?"

"Shut up." Sky growled, trying with all her might to free the Keyblade of Will's grasp.

"Oh, struck a nerve, did I? Poor Sky, you always had such a crush on Koji. And now he's who knows where. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I heard from one of Maleficent's underlings that they searched for him…"

"Stop it!"

"…And they didn't find a trace. Looks like our old buddy Koji didn't survive Destiny Islands' disappearance. I guess his heart was just too weak."

Sky was close to tears now, but she held her head high and glared at Will. "Shut… UP!" With a burst of strength Sky pushed Will aside.

"Ooh, now that's more like it!" Will said with a smile. "I was afraid this'd get boring after I took everyone else out."

"Trust me." Said Sky. "I'm not going down without a fight!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out the charm with the purple mask on it and held it up.

"And just what is that for?" Will asked with a smirk.

"I'm calling in a little help." Sky replied. She then said the magic word and the charm started to glow.

Suddenly, the room was filled with a strange cloud of blue smoke. Then, a voice came from the cloud. "I am the terror that flaps in the night… I am the flashlight that cuts through the shadows…" The cloud cleared away, and a duck wearing a cape and mask stood next to Sky. "…I am Darkwing Duck!"

Will glared in confusion at the masked mallard. "Huh, just what good can he do?"

"A lot more than you think, Fuzzy!" Darkwing replied, taking out his weapon. "Suck gas evildoer!"

A gas bomb shot out of the gun and blinded Will. Darkwing switched his weapon to grappling hook mode, held Sky around the waist, then used the grappling hook to lift them up and out of the smoke.

"Thanks Darkwing," Said Sky. "Now let's take care of this jerk!"

"You got it Sky!" Darkwing replied.

The smoke cleared again, and Will coughed as he looked around for his enemies. He spotted them high up on a pillar and jumped to attack.

Sky and Darkwing jumped down to meet him in mid-air, then karate-kicked him back down.

Darkwing then threw several smoke bombs onto the ground around Will, which Sky blasted with a Thunder spell.

The bombs exploded, and Will fell to his knees.

Sky high fived Darkwing. "Great job!"

"Yup, all in a day's work." Darkwing said proudly. "No evil villains can win against the mighty Darkwing Duck!" With that, Darkwing disappeared to his own world again, just as Caz Brandy and Whiskers rejoined Sky.

"Nice work…" Said Will, getting back to his feet. "All in all, a good test run."

"Test run?" Said Whiskers. "What do you mean, 'test run?'"

"Oh come on, you didn't think I'd play my hand at the start of the game, did you? I just wanted to size up the competition first. Oh, by the way, if you're looking for Mozenrath, he's in there. Don't worry, he hasn't found the Gaia yet."

"Gaia? What is the Gaia?" Sky demanded.

"You'll have to find out for yourselves…" Will smirked, before disappearing into a dark portal.

"Oooh, that creep!" Brandy shouted. "How were you ever even friends with him?"

"He wasn't always that way." Caz replied sadly. "But I guess things change."

Sky turned to the others determinedly. "Come on, we've still gotta deal with Mozenrath!"

---

Mozenrath stared at the Keyhole, confident in his victory.

"Just a little while longer…" He said. "…And this world will be mine."

Aladdin and Genie searched desperately for a way out of the Cage-Bird, but it was sealed tight.

"What do we do?" Jasmine asked Aladdin. "We can't let Mozenrath force Sky to unseal that Keyhole."

"I know," Aladdin replied. "But there's no way out of this thing."

"Maybe there's still hope," Said Genie, ever the optimist. "Maybe they won't show up. Yeah, they could have gotten stuck in traffic."

But then, Sky and the others ran into the chamber. "Mozenrath, let them go!"

"Aww…" Genie sighed, seeming to deflate. "We've gotta invent traffic."

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd show up." Said Mozenrath. He turned to sneer at Sky. "Now, be a dear and unseal the keyhole for me, Would you?"

"What? Forget it! I'm not letting you take this world!" Sky shouted defiantly.

"Aww, you don't have to be so rude. I was only proposing a trade. The Keyhole… for their lives." Mozenrath gestured to Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie, still trapped. "Do as I say and they go free. Resist me… and they die."

Caz turned to look at his family. He felt so helpless seeing them trapped, and him unable to do anything. Some prince he was. Some _son_ he was… He turned away, trying to hold back the tears of frustration and guilt.

"Caz!" Aladdin called. "Don't give up! You can stop Mozenrath, I know it!"

"We believe in you Caz!" Jasmine added.

Genie nodded and turned into a banner saying "Go Caz!"

Caz looked up and smiled at them. He turned to Sky Brandy and Whiskers, and they nodded.

Sky looked up at Mozenrath and leveled the Keyblade at him. "Sorry Mozen-rat," She said. "But I'm not unsealing that keyhole. And Aladdin Jasmine and Genie are coming with us!"

"So sure of yourselves?" Mozenrath said with a laugh. "Your faith is sorely misplaced. I think maybe you need to be taught a lesson!"

Mozenrath sealed off all exits from the chamber, trapping Sky and the others inside.

The sand on the ground slowly turned black, as the Cage-Bird Heartless jumped down to face them.

It lunged for Sky with its beak, but Sky jumped away and struck it with the Keyblade.  
It shrieked in pain and turned to Caz. The Heartless struck Caz with its talon, but fortunately he was able to block its claws.

"We have to be careful not to hurt Aladdin Jasmine or Genie!" Said Brandy.

"I've got an idea!" Whiskers called out.

"Do we even want to know what it is?"

"Trust me!" Whiskers pointed his wand at the raging Heartless. "Blizzaga!"

The Cage-Bird's feet were struck by the spell, and became frozen to the ground.

"Good job Whiskers!" Sky cheered. "Now attack its head!"

Caz, Brandy and Whiskers nodded and attacked. Sky and Caz truck it with their blades, Brandy threw her shield, hitting it dead on, then Whiskers fired a firaga spell.

The creature succumbed to the attacks and fainted, still standing. Sky jumped to the lock and tapped it with the Keyblade, unsealing it and allowing Genie to poof himself and Aladdin and Jasmine away.

Once they were out of the Cage-Bird, Sky jumped into the air and brought the Keyblade smashing down onto the Heartless' head.

The final blow delivered, the Heartless disappeared, and its heart floated away.

"Nice going everyone!" Genie cheered. He turned into a cheerleader and waved his pom-poms around enthusiastically.

Caz turned to see his parents and ran to hug them. "Thank goodness you're safe!" He called.

Aladdin and Jasmine returned the hug. "You did great Caz." Said Aladdin. "We're very proud of you."

Sky smiled for her friends, but turned when she heard Mozenrath's angry voice. "Impossible! I had it all planned out! You'll all pay for this!" Mozenrath stopped with a gasp when he noticed something.

An odd aura was emanating from Aladdin Jasmine and Caz as they stood together. Mozenrath almost couldn't believe his eyes, but knew for certain that this was what Maleficent had told him about.

"The Gaia!" He said. "So it does exist! And its been right in front of me this whole time!"

"What are you talking about?" Sky demanded.

"Maleficent told me that the Gaia would be most strong in a certain place or around a certain object… she never mentioned it could be around people. The Gaia, the spirit of the world. It is directly connected to the heart of the world, and affects everything in it. Now that I've found it, I no longer need something as trivial as the Keyhole. All I need now…" He pointed at Aladdin and his family. "…Is to turn the three of you into Heartless!"

Sky and the others suddenly felt the black sand beneath them come alive, as several giant claws rose from the ground, controlled by Mozenrath.

The group prepared themselves as they each tried to fight off a claw.

A claw came down on Sky, but she swung the Keyblade and sliced it in half. But it merely regenerated. Sky ran from it, but it followed. She ran to the platform where Mozenrath stood and stopped a few feet in front of it. She turned and sliced the sand claw again, only this time she jumped onto the stump before it regenerated. As the claw grew up again, Sky used it to jump off and down onto Mozenrath.

She hit him dead on with the Keyblade, but he quickly regained his footing and fired a blast of dark energy at her. Sky used a reflect spell to deflect the blast and fired a firaga spell, aimed right for Mozenrath's gloved hand.

With a shout of surprise and anger, the glove flew off of Mozenrath's hand. Sky jumped into the air and caught it with a smile. "Game over Mozenrath." She said.

The sand claws disappeared, and the others cheered victoriously.

"Give that back!" Mozenrath shouted.

"Oh puh-lease." Brandy scoffed, as she and the others joined Sky. "Accessorizing is all good and well, but the one glove look is so passé."

"You fool, I need that gauntlet!" He held up his hand for Brandy to see how it was reduced to the bones.

"Wow," Said Whiskers. "That's so cool!" The others glared at him. "Um… I mean… gross?"

"That gauntlet is mine! Give it back!"

"Sorry Mozenrath," Said Sky, as she threw the gauntlet into the air and blasted it with the Keyblade. "But your villain days are over!"

"No!" Mozenrath was about to try and retrieve the ashy remains of his the gauntlet when Aladdin picked him up by his collar.

"Alright Mozenrath," He said harshly. "You've got a lot of explaining to do!"

"What are you talking about?" Aladdin dropped Mozenrath to the ground, and he and the others stood over him frowning.

Genie cracked his knuckles after turning into a tough-looking 40's detective. "All right ya mug. We've got some questions for you's."

"Like where is Maleficent keeping my family!" Sky demanded.

Seeing just how dire his situation was, Mozenrath held up his hands. "Okay, okay! I'll tell you everything! Maleficent's in her castle. You can find it at-" Suddenly, a dark blur leapt down onto Mozenrath. Sky and the others jumped back from the large dog-pile of Neo-Heartless that had jumped onto Mozenrath. By the time they disappeared again Mozenrath was gone.

Sky and the others gasped, but turned when the heard a chuckle.

They saw Will standing on one of the statues high of the ground, smirking down at them. "Aww," he said. "Did my Heartless take Mozenrath's heart too soon? What a pity. Sorry Sky, but I'm afraid you won't be finding Maleficent just yet."

Sky glared up at her former friend. "Why you… you… beast!"

"Flattery will get you nowhere Sky." Will opened a dark portal and backed into it. "See ya around…" He disappeared and Sky growled in frustration.

"Don't worry Sky," Said Aladdin, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You'll find them. I know."

She turned to smile gratefully at Aladdin. "Thanks… I'm just glad we could help you guys out."

"But we didn't do it alone," Said Whiskers. "Caz was a huge help! We couldn't have done it without him!"

Sky blinked in confusion. "M-me?"

"Yeah!" Brandy replied. "You were totally awesome!"

Sky nodded. "It's true Caz. You're a real hero."

Caz blushed in spite of himself. "Yeah… guess I am."

Aladdin and Jasmine both hugged Caz and each other, and Genie picked them all up in a big group hug.

"Aww, this is why I love our family!" He said with a smile. "There's just so much love! Sky, Brandy, Whiskers, come share the love!" Without warning, Genie scooped the three up and added them to the group hug.

"Okay… you're crushing my lungs…" Brandy gasped.

Everyone else just laughed, but suddenly they all started to glow.

Suddenly, Sky's mind was filled with images. It took a moment, but she finally realized they were memories. Memories of when Sora, Donald and Goofy first met Aladdin and Genie, their battle against Jafar in both human form and Genie form, and when Sora sealed the Keyhole.

"What just happened?" Jasmine asked as the images faded and Genie let everyone go.

Suddenly, the Keyblade began to glow and floated up into the air. A stream of light fell upon Sky, and from her came three more streams of light that went to Aladdin, Jasmine and Caz.

The light faded and the Keyblade returned to Sky's hand.

"I'm not sure what that was…" Said Sky. "But I think it had to do with the Gaia thing Mozenrath was talking about." She turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "I think we should head back to Radiant Garden." The two animals nodded in agreement. Sky turned to Aladdin, Jasmine, Caz and Genie. Carpet flew in to stand with them as well, and Abu took his place on Aladdin's shoulder. "It was great seeing all of you. Thanks for all your help."

"If you ever need anything, just come see us." Said Aladdin.

"You're always welcome here Sky." Jasmine added sweetly.

"And when you find you're your dad and Donald and Goofy, give them my best."

"I will." Sky replied.

"And before you go," Said Genie. "I have a couple gifts." He handed Sky a red and grean item. "It's a form. You can use it to combine with your pal Whiskers!"

"Cool!" Said Whiskers.

Brandy gagged. "Uck, that is wrong in so many ways!"

"And here," Genie continued, handing her his lamp. "If you ever need my help, just give the lamp a rub. And I'll be there quicker than you can say 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!'"

"Super… supercali…" Sky tried to repeat the word, but just shook her head. "Thanks Genie!"

Sky Brandy and Whiskers waved to everyone and left the cave to find the Gummi ship. Next stop: Radiant Garden.

---

Will stepped through the portal to stand before Maleficent as she sat in her throne, petting her pet Raven, Diablo.

"I'm back," He said. "And I did just as you said. I kept my eyes on Mozenrath. He failed, of course, but I had the Heartless take care of him for you. I half expected some tough Heartless and/or Nobody to show up and take out Sky, but I guess without his glove he was just all talk. His heart was weak."

Maleficent smiled amusedly. "I see… You did well William. But tell me… was it necessary to kill Mozenrath to keep him from revealing our location too soon?"

"Necessary? No…" Will smiled cruelly. "It was _fun._"

Maleficent laughed. "Indeed. You are surpassing my wildest expectations William. You do me proud." Maleficent stood up and walked away down the dark halls of her castle, and Will followed. She soon walked into a room lit by a strange green glow. In the room stood Sora, Kairi, Riku, Hanna, Mickey, Goofy and Donald, still frozen by her spell.

"Nice collection you've got here…" Said Will, as he inspected the frozen Riku. "To think, I used to look up to these people. Pathetic." He turned to Hanna, but suddenly noticed something. He turned to Maleficent, then back to Hanna. Hanna was definitely a lot prettier than Maleficent, as she was younger and had much kinder features, and the hair was a lot different from the horns… but Will still saw a resemblance. He chuckled. "Any relation to you?" He said, motioning to Hanna's face, frozen in fear.

Maleficent looked back at him. She had no sign of emotion on her face, but the look still chilled him to the bone.

"Okay, never mind." He said, stepping away from the frozen woman.

"Leave me now." Maleficent said flatly.

Will shrugged and walked out the door.

Maleficent turned to look down at Mickey's frozen form. "Your _majesty_..." She said mockingly. "You have opposed my dark plans for too long, with your sickening goodness and light. But now I have you… like a _rat_ in a trap." She turned to face Donald and Goofy. "And you fools… you were always the most annoying of all my enemies." She turned to Riku next. "Riku… my dear Riku… you could have been like a son to me. But you turned against me in favor of your foolish friends. How you must regret it now…" Next was Kairi. "My dear Princess Kairi. I've never truly had the honor of meeting you. How wonderful we can have this little chat. I can honestly say you were one of the most beautiful of all the Princesses of Heart. A pity your beauty is now wasted." Finally she looked at Sora. "And as for you… Sora the Key-Bearer… You believed I had died when the Castle That Never Was was destroyed. But now I've returned, and all that stands between me and my goal is one little girl…" She moved closer to Sora, and looked him right in the eye. "I know you can hear me Sora, otherwise I would not be speaking to you. Do not hold onto the false hope that your darling daughter will save you… she has no idea how far into my trap she has already fallen…" Maleficent moved away from Sora and gave a final glance at Hanna.

She walked to the door and stopped to stroke Diablo's feathers. "Now my pet," She said. "Let us leave our friends… with these _happy _thoughts." She walked out the door and locked it with a key. "For the first time in twenty years… I shall sleep well."


	13. R and R: Rest and Revelations

_The trip had been long and hard, but he finally made it. __Once he was safe on the concrete ground he fell to his knees and gasped for breath. Traveling all the way from Deep Jungle to Traverse Town without a Gummi ship was no small task._

"_I can't believe you used dark energy to travel from one world to the next." He turned to see that it was a relatively small figure, wearing a hooded coat that had spoken. "Impressive. Your dad would be proud."_

_He turned to the figure with a frown. "What are you doing here?"_

"_Same as you. I'm here because of the growing darkness. You know that Sky's the new Key Bearer, right?"_

_He nodded. "Yeah, I know. Is she okay?"_

"_She's fine. I had to help her out of a scrape in a place called Udragoth, but she's been doing okay for herself. She's got a junior Donald and Goofy helping her out, and she's learning to wield the Keyblade well enough."_

"_So what about us?"_

"_Sky is the one to protect the worlds in Sora's absence. She guards the light… but there's evil waiting in the shadows as well. I guess you and I will act as Sky's backup in the darkness."_

_Suddenly, hundreds of Neo Shadows appeared. He readied himself for battle, as did the figure._

"_What am I gonna fight with?" He asked._

"_You'll know soon enough." The figure replied, as a blue and grey Keyblade appeared in his hand._

_He stood back to back with the figure, as the Heartless attacked._

---

Sky gazed out the Gummi ship window as they headed back to Radiant Garden. She still couldn't get over the fact that Will had joined Maleficent… and was what he said about Koji true?

She shook her head and put it out of her mind. She had been thinking about it far too much. She turned her head to see Whiskers sleeping, drooling a bit, but looking peaceful.

Brandy was filing her nails. No surprise, really.

Gadget was sitting in the back, writing up all of the details from their adventure in Agrabah in the journal.

_Well,_ she thought. _At least I have such great friends._

---

As soon as they landed in Radiant Garden, the group headed to the citadel to talk to the others.

They found them, conveniently enough, in the computer room, and immediately related the story of their encounter with Will, the battle with Mozenrath, and the mysterious Gaia.

"Gaia?" Zephyr asked. "Why does that sound so familiar?"

Leo turned to the computer. "Tron, run a scan on all Radiant Garden files for the word 'Gaia.'"

"Executing…" Tron replied. The screen blinked with several different pages, too fast for the normal eye to see, until it stopped on the picture of a young woman with dark hair. "File found. Gaia is the code name of a theorized 'world spirit.' Dr. Aki Ross, a former student of Ansem the Wise, conducted research that led her to believe in the existence of Gaia. According to her research, all living creatures have spirits in addition to hearts and that both are directly connected, and that worlds are the same, having both heart and spirit. This spirit would be a force flowing throughout a world, shaping the world's different traits, according to the world's heart, while also carrying the heart's light and energy throughout all parts of the world."

"Ah, I see," Said Jumba. "Is like actual biological heart. It is to be transferring blood throughout the body."

"I get it," Said Sky. "A biological heart pumps blood, and a world's heart pumps Gaia."

"Precisely," Tron continued. "Dr. Ross came close to proving the existence of the Gaia, with the help of a Dr. Sid." Everyone turned to stare questioningly at Cid. "No relation to our Cid. Their work however is inconclusive, so not much more is known about Gaia. However, it is theorized that certain places, objects, or people, have stronger connections to a world's heart through the Gaia than others. Thus creating a new pathway to the world's heart."

"Of course!" Said Yuffie, snapping her fingers. "Maleficent wanted Mozenrath to find the Gaia because the Keyhole had been closed!"

"Not only that," Leo added. "But this Gaia in itself has a drastic effect on the world. She wouldn't just be able to control a world; she'd have the power to change it completely to suit her will."

"What about what happened with me?" Sky asked.

"Well, the dark readings from Agrabah completely vanished," Tron replied. "I think maybe the Keyblade must have purified the Gaia."

"Makes sense… man, there are things about the Keyblade even Dad didn't know."

"Hmm," Leo thought for a moment. "It seems to me, that purifying the Gaia like that is our best bet for ensuring Maleficent can't keep attacking."

"Easier said than done with her new lapdog, Will." Said Brandy. "What do we do about our new furry problem?"

Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The Beast, while an ally of ours, was a powerful and dangerous being. The spell that had made him that way was a curse, but it definitely gave him quite a bit of power. Now that William has been transformed, he will be quite a challenging opponent."

"No kidding…" Whiskers said with a sigh. "I'm still sore from the last battle. So what's next?"

"Next," Leo replied. "We're going to continue searching the worlds for dark energy. You guys will do what you do best, only this time you'll need to keep your eyes open for anything going on with the Gaia, and purify it if you can find whatever has the strongest connection."

"What?" Brandy cried. "Now we have _more _to do?.!"

"It's all part of the job Brandy." Sky replied.

Brandy sighed and placed her head in her hands. "I'm soo not cut out for this hero work."

---

Later, Yuffie decided to give Sky Brandy and Whiskers a break and took them to get some sea-salt ice-cream.

"Sea-salt?" Brandy asked, staring uncertainly at her bar of ice-cream. "I don't think ice-cream should be… salty."

Whiskers sniffed his ice-cream and gave it a lick. "Mmm, salty _and _sweet! Delicious!"

"What'd I tell you?" Said Yuffie. "It's the best ice-cream in the world!"

Brandy still seemed unsure, but finally tasted it. She mulled over the flavor a moment before smiling. "Hey, that _is _pretty good." She licked it up fast, even taking large bits out of it, till it was all gone. "Ouch! Brain freeze. Can I have another?"

"Sorry," Said Yuffie. "I don't have any more munny with me."

Brandy turned to look at Sky, but she just shook her head. "Sorry, me neither."

"Aww!" Brandy whined. "Do you think I could buy some with some shiny rocks?" Yuffie and Sky shook their heads. "But I need to have more!" Brandy spied Whiskers, still enjoying his ice-cream, and got an evil look on her face.

Whiskers noticed and started to worry. "Um… Brandy, why are you looking at me like a hungry wolf staring at its prey?" Brandy pounced on him and tried to wrestle the ice-cream from him.

Yuffie laughed till tears came to her eyes. "Oh brother, you two are the funniest couple I've ever seen!"

Brandy finally grabbed the ice-cream, or what was left after the fight, and gulped it down. After the brain freeze passed, Yuffie's words sunk in. "Whoa, wait…" She said. "We are _not _a couple!"

"You're not… huh, that's weird. I coulda sworn you two had a thing for each other."

"What kind of thing?" Whiskers asked stupidly.

"Never mind Whiskers!" Brandy snapped, before storming off.

"What just happened?" Whiskers asked.

Yuffie and Sky just sighed. "Clueless…"

---

Hook walked into a dark room illuminated by a feint light to find Hades and Oogie Boogie waiting.

"Nice of you to show up." Said Hades. "Now this meeting can come to order."

"What is this about?" Hook demanded.

"It has come to my attention," Hades continued. "That our dear Maleficent has been planning something behind our backs."

"What're you talkin' about?" Oogie asked. "You mean she's planning' a double-cross?"

"Nah, not a double-cross. More like… a backup plan that doesn't involve us. Maleficent's been acting awfully strange. Hiring that Beastie boy, sending Jafar Jr. on a mission, then having her new pet destroy him, sending the Heartless after this Gaia, and what about us? She hasn't even told us what she's really planning."

"Aye," Hook agreed. "We all have our own plans, yet Maleficent insists on dragging us into her shenanigans, then keeps us in the dark! And as for those new associates of hers, I should have known that Mozenrath fellow would fail."

"And the other one's no prize either." Said Oogie. "Whatever she is, she almost makes me nostalgic for Ursula. Well, almost."

"Yep," Hades added. "That harpy is the one we should be keeping an eye on."

"I could say the same of you." The three villains turned to see a fourth figure walk in. "You've all failed miserably so many times, it's a wonder Maleficent even considered having you join us."

"Ah, we have a visitor." Said Hades, keeping his composure. "What's shaking Demona?"

Demona glared at the god of the underworld.

"What are you doing here?" Hook demanded. "We never invited you to this meeting."

"I go where I want to human." Demona replied, using the word human like an insult. "But don't worry; I could care less about your petty little meetings." The female gargoyle turned to leave, but saw Hades standing in front of her.

"Maybe you _should_ care," He said. "Whatever Maleficent has up those fiery sleeves of hers could affect you too."

"I hardly think so. I'm no fool, unlike you."

"Ooh, that was harsh. Not. Listen Babe, you may not realize it, but we- namely I -have seniority over you. Keep getting out of line like this, you're gonna end up paying my hometown a visit… real soon." Demona growled and slashed Hades in the face with her claws. But the cuts merely faded away. "Immortal, remember? I can't be hurt that easily."

Demona sneered. "Don't think you're so special." She pushed past Hades and stormed out.

Hades watched her go and shook his head. "No wonder Maleficent recruited her. Misery loves company."

---

_Sky smiled back, then turned to look around the cave. She noticed one wall had something drawn on it and had a closer look. She was surprised to see a picture of what looked like her mom and dad, handing each other star shaped objects._

"_What's that?" She asked pointing at the image scratched into the stone wall._

_Sora knelt down to look at it and smiled. "You're mom and I drew those when we were your age. Well, except for the paopu, those came later."_

"_Paopu?" Sky asked._

_Kairi nodded. "Yes, they're those fruit that grow around here that look like stars. It's said that if two people share some, they'll become a part of each other's lives forever."_

_Sky turned to look at her parents. "Did you share some paopu?"_

_Sora blushed slightly. "Well, yeah, eventually."_

"_Wow, that's so cool." She looked at the picture again. "Can I draw a picture too?"_

"_Sure sweetheart." Kairi replied._

_Sky picked up a rock and scratched the picture of her own face above her parents'. "There, now we all have our pictures on the wall."_

_Sora smiled and hugged his daughter. "Yeah. And someday your kids might want to draw their faces on the wall."_

"_Someday people will come here and see generations of our family on the wall." Kairi added with a grin._

_Sora heard a voice outside the cave and smiled. "I guess Riku and Hanna are here. Let's go say hi, okay Sky?"_

"_No," Sky replied. "Koji will be with them, and I'm mad at him."_

"_What for?" Kairi asked. "I thought you and Koji always had fun playing together."_

"_We used to. But then he called me a stupid girl."_

_Kairi sighed. "That's Riku's son for you. I'm sure he didn't mean it Dear."_

"_Yeah, just give him a chance." Sora added._

_Sky puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms._

_Sora sighed. "Fine. Then if you won't I'll just make you."_

"_Aww Dad…" Sky whined as Sora led her out of the cave…_

---

Sky woke up slowly and stretched out her arms. Nothing had been going on the day before, so when night fell Yuffie had Sky, Brandy and Whiskers to stay the night in her spare room.

Sky noticed Brandy and Whiskers still sound asleep in the fold-up beds, set up near Sky's bed. She yawned and stretched once more when Yuffie opened the door and stuck her head inside.

"Mornin' sleepy head!" She called cheerfully. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, thanks Aunt Yuffie." Sky replied.

"Good, cause Cid just called. Said they found another dark reading."

"They did?"

"Yup. Wake up the non-couple over there and get ready, cause you guys are headed for another mission!"

Sky sighed tiredly and flopped back down on her pillow. "And we didn't even get any breakfast…"

---

Autumn leaves fell from the twisted branches of the old trees, covering the ground in different shades of orange and brown. The large crescent moon sat high above the graveyard that night, providing a small amount of light. Many Jack-o-lanterns also provided the graveyard path with light, perfect for a family stroll.

And that was just what Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, decided his family needed.

"Isn't this wonderful?" He asked, as he walked next to Sally. "I always love taking a stroll among the graves in the dead of night. It gives me such a feeling of peace."

"Me too Jack," Sally replied as she pushed a stroller resembling a coffin. "And the moon looks so beautiful tonight."

Jack turned to look down at the little girl walking next to him. "What do you think Hazel?"

The young girl looked up at Jack, her stitched face smiling sweetly. "It's wonderful Father. I'm having a wonderful time."

"Wonderful!" Said Jack. "And we couldn't have chosen a better night for it. I doubt anything could ruin such a serene night as this."

As the Skellington family continued their stroll, yellow eyes appeared in the shadows, as Heartless began to emerge, searching for fresh hearts…

---

Sky landed the Gummi ship and looked out at the world they were now in.

"Welcome to Halloween Town guys!" She called. "You guy's are sure to love it here!"

Whiskers looked nervously out at the grave-riddled, shady, oddly textured, and overall spooky landscape. "We are?" He asked with a shudder. "I dunno Sky, it looks awful s-scary…"

"Don't worry Whiskers," Sky replied. "Just use your magic and everything will be fine."

"His magic?" Brandy asked. "What good will that do?"

---

Later, Sky Brandy and Whiskers walked through Guillotine Gate and into the town.

"See," Said Sky. "What'd I tell you? Not nearly as bad now that we blend in, right?" Thanks to Whiskers magic, she was now dressed as a half vampire, half witch, complete with fangs. She had a black cat's face shaped eye patch over her left eye, and a black choker with a spider pendent on her neck. Her shirt was now green, and the sleeves were black and torn, like the bottom of her shirt. On her back was a short black cape, and her boots were now dark purple, and looked like the high-heeled boots people wore in the seventies. The heart on her shirt was replaced by a crescent moon.

"Ya know, it is kinda nice here once you get used to it." Said Whiskers, now a werewolf rabbit. His buck-teeth were now buck-fangs, his hands and feet became claws, and his left eye was yellow, and had a swirly line in it. His clothes had become torn and patchy, and the wrist band he wore turned into a manacle, with a broken chain hanging off of it.

"I've gotta admit," Said Brandy. "The monster look has never looked that great, but I totally pull it off!" Brandy had become a bride of Frankenstein type monster, complete with a grey, lightening bolt streak on each ear. She also had fangs and claws, and her collar/necklace was replaced by stitches and a zipper handle. Her right hand was wrapped up by bandages, as was her left arm, and her right wrist had stitches as well. Her shirt was longer in the back, making it look like a dress that had its bottom half ripped off. Her right sleeve was longer, but her left sleeve had been torn off altogether.

"So it's Halloween here all the time?" Whiskers asked.

"Yup," Sky replied. "Every single day. It's a pretty fun place to visit."

Suddenly, a short man wearing a tall hat, with what looked like a second face on the back of his head, walked up.

"Ahem," Said the Mayor. "Attention everyone, as your beloved Mayor, it is my sad duty to announce that Halloween festivities are cancelled until further notice, due to complications beyond our control."

"What?" Sky asked. "Cancelled? What's wrong?"

The Mayor turned to her and smiled as well as he could, considering he currently wore his worried face. "Oh, hello Miss Sky, wonderful to see you. I'm afraid it's true, Jack has decided to cancel all festivities because of those creatures."

"Creatures? You mean the Heartless?"

"Yes. Jack and his family were attacked just last night, and so he cancelled everything."

"Attacked? Are they okay?"

"Yes, thankfully. They're at home right now if you wish to see them."

"Thanks Mayor. Come on guys, let's go!"

Brandy and Whiskers nodded and followed Sky up to Jack Skellington's house.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! People who have seen the movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within will know who Dr. Aki Ross is. I had already planned out the whole Gaia thing for this story when I saw that movie and decided that it was the perfect opportunity to include more FF characters.

Anyhow, please review!


	14. Halloween Town

Hey again! Here's the next installment of KH: RoD.

It also includes a new villain, so keep your eyes open! Hope y'all enjoy!

(IStill own nothing. Ask me again in about twenty years. Maybe by then I'll own a keychain or something.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sky walked up the steps to the door of Jack Skellington's house, followed by Brandy and Whiskers. "Now remember," She said to her friends. "Uncle Jack is a little… well, eccentric, even for the people here. So just… try not to let him weird you out, okay?"

"Got it." Whiskers replied with a thumbs-up.

Sky turned back to the door and pulled the bell-rope. A blood curdling scream, in place of a doorbell, scared Whiskers so much that he jumped into Brandy's arms.

"Relax Whiskers," Brandy growled. "It's just the doorbell! Must you always be so dramatic!"

"I can't help it Brandy," Whiskers replied. "I'm an overly dramatic, aromatic hare! Don't you pay attention?"

"Ugh…" Brandy sighed and dropped Whiskers onto the ground.

The door opened to reveal the tall, thin figure of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. Upon seeing Sky he smiled warmly. "Sky, what a pleasant surprise! It's wonderful to see you! And who are your new friends?"

"This is Brandy Harrington and Mr. Whiskers." Sky replied. "Guys, meet my Uncle Jack."

Brandy and Whiskers said hello.

"Welcome," Said Jack. "Any friend of Sky's is a friend of mine. Please, come on in everyone."

Sky Brandy and Whiskers gladly obliged and followed Jack inside.

"So, what brings you here Sky?" Jack asked, as he led his guests to the cobweb curtain, covering the door to the living room. Er… _un_-living room anyway.

"Tron up at Radiant Garden detected a spike in dark energy." Sky replied. "We came to check it out."

"Ah, I see. Now that you mention it, those Heartless fellows have been popping up lately. It's terrible; I've even cancelled Halloween until further notice!" Jack offered Sky Brandy and Whiskers a seat on the couch, which they took. He sat in his chair.

"I heard about that," Said Sky. "I also heard you and the others were attacked."

"Indeed we were. Fortunately we were unharmed, but it was a close call. I sure do wish Sora had been here. Incidentally, where is Sora?"

"Well…" Suddenly, there was a large explosion not too far away.

"What was that!" Brandy asked frantically.

"Oh, J.J. and Hazel must have gotten into the chemical cupboard again." Jack replied, more amused than worried. "Those two rascals, always getting into mischief."

On cue, a young girl walked in, coughing up smoke. Holding her hand was a short, toddler-like creature. "Hello Father," She said, smiling sweetly. "I'm afraid I was looking through Grandfather Finkelstein's chemicals and accidentally blew up the playroom… again."

"Not to worry dear," Jack replied with a smile. "What's a playroom for, besides having fun? Oh yes, Brandy, Mr. Whiskers, meet my daughter Hazel and my son J.J."

Hazel, a young girl of about 13, wearing a dress patched together from various different scraps of fabric, bowed politely. She had dark eyes, and short brown hair. Her skin was pale blue, and has a few stitches, like her mother. "I'm pleased to meet you."

J.J., a baby, just sucked on a pumpkin pacifier and blinked at the dog and bunny. Being a skeleton, like his father, he looked like a chibi version of Jack.

J.J. noticed Sky and smiled. He let go of Hazel's hand and stumbled over to her. "Hi J.J." She cooed sweetly, picking the skeleton child up and setting him in her lap. "You've grown since last time I baby-sat you. And you can walk now!"

"He learned just a month ago." Hazel explained. "He must have been eager to show off."

Jack looked proudly at his son. "That's my boy alright."

Sky heard someone else walk in and turned to see Sally enter the room. "I heard an explosion," She said. "Don't tell me you two blew up the playroom again?"

"I'm sorry Mother." Said Hazel. "It won't happen again."

"Don't be too hard on her Dear," Said Jack, moving next to Sally. "Who knows, she may be Halloween Town's next great scientist! Oh and we have guests! Sky is here with her friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

Sally turned to give the trio a friendly smile. "Hello Sky. It's a pleasure to meet you Brandy, Mr. Whiskers. Would you three like to stay for dinner?"

"That's a splendid idea!" Said Jack. "We're having roast buzzard and fried-newt stew!"

Brandy and Whiskers turned green, while Sky quickly replied. "Oh, we'd love to, but we've got a lot of work to do! You know, all the Heartless running around and everything, gotta keep at it!"

"Oh, I see. Very well. It's a shame you and your family never have time to share dinner with us."

"Yeah… isn't it though?"

"Speaking of which," Said Hazel. "Where are Uncle Sora and Aunt Kairi?"

"Oh yeah…" Sky said sadly. "I almost forgot. We kinda need to have a talk."

---

Oogie Boogie stood on the flat ground that used to be his home, grumbling and swearing under his non-existent breath. "I can't believe that Key-swingin' brat destroyed my beautiful home!" He thundered. "Him and that Jack Skellington! Ooh, I aughta feed 'em both to a pool of piranhas!"

"Calm yourself…" Oogie jumped slightly and turned to see Maleficent, in all her frightful glory. "I have not brought you back once again to listen to your incessant blubbering! At least this time your memories are intact!"

"Yeah, of course they are!" Oogie replied proudly. But he then blinked confusedly and rubbed his chin. "Uh… what're we talkin' about?"

Maleficent growled to herself. _Just remember, you need his help for now… _She said to herself, keeping her temper in check.

"Hey?" Oogie asked, searching around. "Where'd those three go? Lock Shock and Barrel?"

"Who knows?" Maleficent replied disinterestedly. "After twenty years perhaps they finally grew out of their foolish prankster ways, though I find it doubtful."

"Aww, but then who's gonna do my dirty work!"

Maleficent considered this a moment. She then smiled darkly as an idea came to her. "Perhaps I could lend you some assistance."

"Oh no!" Oogie held up his hands… or whatever they are, and shook his head. "You're not sticking that little monster of yours with me! I know what he did to Mozen-whatver-his-name-was!"

"I was not talking about William. I have other plans for him. I was referring to a being that I found on one of the worlds, taken by the Heartless.

"He was quite powerful, even the Heartless seemed to fear him, so I took him with me. He would fit in well in this world, and Sky and Jack Skellington would never stand a chance!"

Maleficent walked away and knelt down to place her hand on the ground. A green, fiery aura began to glow around her, and a dark, ominous feeling filled the air, chilling even Oogie Boogie down to what would be his bones if he had them.

"Oh terrible spirit," she said darkly. "I call thee from thy grave. Thee who was powerful in life, and invincible in death. Rise up, and with thy sword smite my enemies with all your fury. Arise… arise… arise spirit!"

Oogie flinched as a bright flame jumped up from the ground, creating a wall of blazing green fire. When the wall finally faded, a figure appeared.

It was a terrifying sight, a large, dark horse with blazing red eyes, shooting steam from its nostrils. On it sat a dark, heavily muscled figure, wearing a cape. In his right hand was a sharp, sinister looking sword, and in his right was a jack-o-lantern, glowing as though it was on fire inside.

But the thing Oogie noticed first was the Horseman's head… or rather the fact the Horseman had no head!

"Oogie Boogie…" Said Maleficent, pleased with her work. "Allow me to introduce the Headless Horseman. He should serve our purpose well."

Oogie blinked and shook his head to get himself to stop staring. "Uh, s-sure. I guess He'll do."

Maleficent turned to the Headless Horseman. "I want you to find the girl with the Keyblade and her friends. You will take some Heartless with you and you will attack. Do what you like to the skeleton, his family, and the dog and rabbit, but you are to bring me the girl, unharmed. Understand?"

The Horseman bowed - his way of nodding – and turned his horse and rode away, as though the devil himself was racing him. As he faded from sight, Maleficent smiled cruelly to herself, and the Headless Horseman's evil laugh filled the air.

---

Sky sighed and sat back in the couch, having just finished her long story.

Jack frowned sadly. "How terrible!" He said. "Sora, Donald, Goofy and the others captured? This is an outrage that must not be tolerated!" He got up from his chair and took Sky's hand in his own. "Sky, I vow to do all in my power to help you find your family and defeat this Maleficent person!"

"Thanks Uncle Jack." Sky replied. "I really appreciate that."

"What do you plan to do next?" Sally asked, as she held J.J.

"Well," Said Sky. "I guess we need to investigate the Heartless' appearance here in Halloween Town."

"Splendid!" Jack exclaimed. "We'll start in the graveyard, where they first showed up!"

"G-g-graveyard?" Whiskers stuttered fearfully. "You mean like the place where they bury… _dead people?_"

"Yes, of course," Jack replied, still as cheery as ever. "It's usually a lovely place, but those darn Heartless are just making a nuisance of things." He turned to Sally. "I'm going to go with them Sally, will you be alright here with the kids?"

"Of course Jack," Sally replied. "Just be careful."

"Of course."

Hazel stepped up to Jack and looked up at him. "May I go too father?" She asked, ever the polite child.

"I'm afraid not." Jack replied, kneeling down to look her in the eye. "This could be dangerous, so I need you to stay here and help your mother keep an eye on things. Can you do that for me Pumpkin-face?"

Hazel sadly nodded and smiled. "Yes Father. I will."

"I knew I could count on you." Jack smiled and hugged his daughter close.

Sky watched the father and daughter and smiled, remembering her own father.

Jack stood up and turned to Sky, Brandy and Whiskers. "Alright everyone," He said dramatically. "Let's be on our way!"

---

Sky, Brandy, Whiskers and Jack made their way to the graveyard, sitting under the shadow of the strange curled hill. Everything seemed peaceful enough, but appearances were usually deceiving.

"Keep on your toes men," Said Jack. "Um… I mean, girls. I mean, Girls and boy… no, girl, dog, rabbit… Never mind, just keep on your toes!"

The group walked along the path between the headstones, and Whiskers couldn't help but read one as he passed. "'R.I.P Stupid.' Huh, that's not very nice. What's the next one say?" He turned to the next headstone, which was a hand with its thumb pointing to the other one. "'I'm with Stupid.' Boy that joke was dumb even by _my _standards!"

Sky and Jack looked around but found no sight of the Heartless.

"Maybe they moved on?" Jack suggested.

"I don't think so…" Sky replied. "I get the feeling they're nearby, but I'm not sure where."

Sky and Jack continued walking, but Brandy stopped when she noticed Whiskers lagging behind.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm reading the headstones." He replied simply.

"Since when do you read?" She asked, walking up to him.

"Don't you remember that time I mistook those reading and writing classes for a gourmet cooking school?"

Brandy just sighed and shook her head. "Never mind, let's just keep going." She turned around but was shocked to see Sky and Jack no longer in sight. "Whiskers… where did Sky go?"

"I dunno, I didn't see her." Whiskers replied.

Brandy looked around fearfully at the misty graveyard, filled with headstones. Without Sky and Jack, this place was a lot scarier.

"Whiskers…" Said Brandy. "…I think we'd better catch up with Sky and Jack."

Suddenly, both Brandy and Whisker's ears shot up when they heard the terrible sound of the most evil laugh they had ever heard. They grabbed each other and shivered terribly before slowly turning around. They turned to the twisted hill and their eyes literally jumped out of their heads when they saw a headless man on a horse, holding a flaming pumpkin and a sword, laughing manically in the moonlight.

Brandy and Whiskers ran down the path as fast as they could and screamed, **"SKY!" **

Sky and Jack heard their scream and stopped, just in time to be tackled by the terrified dog and bunny.

"Sky, Jack!" Whiskers shouted, clinging to Sky's arm. "There's an evil monster after us!"

"Whiskers, didn't I tell you guys things aren't as bad as they seem here?" Said Sky, trying to pry the smelly rabbit off of her.

"He's right!" Said Brandy. "There was this huge guy on a horse, and he had a sword, and a pumpkin, but NO HEAD!"

"No head?" Jack asked calmly. "You mean like that fellow right over there?"

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers turned to see the Headless Horseman standing in the path, surrounded by several Gargoyle, Search Ghost, and Wight Knight Heartless.

Sky jumped up and took out the Keyblade, and the others prepared for battle.

The Headless Horseman turned to Sky, recognizing his objective, and pointed towards her.

Instantly, the Heartless Attacked.

Whiskers used Reflect to stop a lunging Wight Knight, then blasted it with Firaga.

Brandy jumped out of the way of a Gargoyle's claw and hit it with her shield, knocking it into one of the Search Ghosts.

Jack used his own magic to shove the Heartless back, while Sky beat them away with the Keyblade.

Jack turned to Sky and held out his hand, which she took, and he began spinning her around as though they were dancing. Soon, she attained so much speed that she looked like a tornado and zoomed away, blasting Heartless left and right.

Sky began to slow down and Jack caught her before she fell over from dizziness.

"Next time…" She said slowly. "…Warn me."

She recovered quick and jumped back into the fray with Jack.

The Horseman had seen enough and reared his horse back. He spurred it on and ran straight for Sky. He came dangerously close to running her down, but Whiskers cast a Reflection spell in time and gave her the chance to jump away.

"What the…?" She gasped, as the Horseman turned to her.

"He's after you!" Jack called, somehow able to tell what the Horseman thought. "Run! We'll take care of these Heartless!"

Sky hesitated, but when that horse charged after her again she decided running was her only option for now. At least till she could figure out how to fight this thing.

Sky jumped to her feet and ran from the Headless Horseman with all her might. The Horseman just laughed as he rode after her. For now the chase was on.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you all like it. If you want to see what Sky, Brandy and Whiskers look like in their Halloween Town forms, just go to my profile and you'll find the link to a picture.

See ya next time!


	15. Headless and Heartless, oh my!

Just a quick note before this chapter begins:

I think I rushed it terribly, so I apologize for the poor quality. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

(Still don't own anything. If I did I wouldn't have to write fan-fiction, would I?)

Sky ran as fast as her legs could carry her, but the Headless Horseman was still gaining.

_Well duh! _Sky said to herself. _He's on a stinking ghost horse for crying out loud! _

She knew she wasn't going to last long on foot, so decided to try something different. "I hope Mom wasn't the only one who could do this…" She said, as she focused her magic energy. Suddenly, a broom appeared beneath her feet, floating just above the ground so that it was like she was on a skateboard. "Yes! Thank you Halloween Town magic!"

Sky easily boosted her speed and flew down the path away from the Horseman. Now that the odds were shifted a little more to her favor, Sky turned around to look at the Headless spirit hunting her down. The Horseman had his sword raised in one hand, and his jack-o-lantern in the other, ready to attack. Sky decided to try using magic, and blasted him with Firaga. But the Horseman just laughed and absorbed the flames.

"Great," Sky groaned. "He's fire-proof. Now what?"

The chase continued, out of the graveyard and deep into the woods. Sky, having grown up knowing how to ride a skateboard, easily maneuvered the broom, keeping just ahead of the Headless Horseman.

The Horseman soon gained however, and Sky could feel his horse's breath on the back of her neck. The Horseman tried to strike with his sword, but Sky ducked in time, narrowly saving her head.

The trees grew closer together now, and Sky was hoping the Horseman would soon run out of room to ride.

But instead, she was finding it harder to maneuver. She had to turn left and right constantly, narrowly avoiding crashing into one of the twisted tree trunks. Suddenly, she struck a short stump and flipped off of her broom. She hit the ground and rolled into a clearing, where the Horseman rode up, ready to claim her head.

Sky sat up painfully and backed away from the approaching Horseman, as he raised the pumpkin up. Sky knew he was going to throw it down upon her, and that it would all be over in one fiery instant.

But suddenly the Horseman's horse reared back, as though it had been spooked. But what could spook _it_?

The Horseman lowered his hand and rode away, as suddenly as he had appeared. Sky breathed a heavy sigh of relief, though she was very confused. She stood up and looked around. This clearing had a few trees in it, but there was something odd about them. They all had strange images on them. One had a heart, another an American flag, and another had an Easter egg of all things!

Sky finally recognized the clearing, and remembered that the trees were doorways to other holidays. She turned around and saw another tree that was behind her and saw a Christmas tree on its trunk.

"Christmas Town…" She said in awe.

"Sky!" She turned to see Jack, Brandy and Whiskers run up. "Thank goodness you're alright!" Said Jack. "What happened?"

"That headless guy chased me here," Sky explained. "But when he got close to the door to Christmas Town he suddenly ran off."

"I see, that's rather strange."

"Christmas Town?" Brandy asked.

"That's right," Jack replied. "It's right behind that door."

"I didn't know there was a Christmas Town, too!" Said Whiskers, jumping up and down like a three year old. "Can we go there, huh? Huh? Huh?"

Jack scratched his chin a moment. "You know, Sandy might have some information on the Heartless. Perhaps we should pay him a visit."

"Really?" Sky screeched excitedly. She suddenly realized how ridiculous she sounded and calmed herself. "Uh, I mean, okay."

"Come friends!" Said Jack. "To Christmas Town!"

---

Back at the former site of Oogie's mansion, the Headless Horseman knelt before Maleficent.

"How could you allow her to escape?" The dark fairy demanded. "You had her in your clutches, and you turned and ran! And why? Because you couldn't take the goodness and light coming from that infernal Christmas Town's door!" Maleficent turned disgustedly from the Horseman. "Perhaps your only worth is chasing peasants through a graveyard! However, perhaps I shall give you one last chance. Oogie Boogie!"

The giant ghost looked up from the vacant ground he'd been staring at sadly for the past hour. "Huh?"

"How would you like to have your mansion back and take revenge on Jack Skellington once and for all?"

"Shoot, what kind of question is that?" Oogie laughed. "Just tell me what to do!"

Maleficent smiled cruelly to herself. "Let Sky and those fools seek help in Christmas Town. Meanwhile, Jack's family is left defenseless. Once we have them, Jack will come straight to us, and Sky and the Keyblade will be sure to follow!"

"I like the way you think!" Oogie laughed.

Maleficent turned to the Headless Horseman. "You know what to do: Go to Jack Skellington's house and capture his family!"

The Horseman bowed and mounted his horse to ride off and carry out his orders.

"As for your mansion," Maleficent continued. "Let's see what we can come up with…"

---

Sky and the others stepped through the Christmas tree shaped door and entered a swirling vortex. Jack, by now, was used to this way of traveling, but Sky, Brandy and Whiskers had a little trouble keeping their lunches down.

Finally, the four flew out the other side of the portal into the snow. And the sight before them made them gasp.

A vast, wondrous winter wonderland, covered in the purest, sparkling snow Sky had ever seen, and evergreen trees as far as the eye could see.

And off in the distance was a little workshop.

"Can it be…?" Whiskers gasped.

"Yup, it is…" Sky replied. "…Santa's workshop!" Sky and Whiskers squealed happily and danced in the snow together.

"Come friends!" Said Jack. "We'll ask Sandy Claws for his help in tracking down the source of the Heartless, and get back to the Halloween festivities!"

"Race ya there!" Sky shouted, as she barreled down the hill to the workshop.

"Oh yeah? I'll show ya!" Whiskers called back, running to catch up.

"You guys! Wait for me!" Brandy whined, chasing after her friends.

Jack laughed at their youthful enthusiasm and decided to follow suit.

---

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers cautiously opened the door, looking in at the warm, inviting room.

Sky nearly forgot to breathe when in a corner near the fire she spied none other than the man himself, Santa Clause.

Jack urged them in and the group reverently came to stand before Santa Clause, each wearing a huge grin on their faces.

Santa looked up from his list and smiled kindly. "Ah, Jack. Back with another group of youngsters wanting a peak at the list, eh?" He asked with a good-hearted chuckle. He stood up and moved to Brandy and Whiskers, taking a gander at his list. "Brandy Harrington and Mr. Whiskers. Wonderful to see you again."

"Again?" Sky asked.

"Yeah, we helped Santa out of a bind last year." Whiskers explained. "Though… it was kind of our fault to begin with… By the way Santa, how come you look different?"

"My appearance differs from world to world, just as yours does." Santa explained. "It's a handy little trick." He glanced once more at his list and smiled. "You've both been very good this year, but Brandy, you'd better watch that temper of yours."

"How about me?" Sky asked excitedly. "I'm Sky, Sora and Kairi's daughter."

"Sora and Kairi," Santa echoed with a smile. "Both of them have been on my good list for almost twenty years now. It's their friend Riku that I really have to keep my eye on. As for you Sky…" Santa looked over his list again and smiled. "You have been exceptionally good."

Sky smiled proudly, but Jack soon remembered their original mission. "Excuse me Sandy," He said. "But we have a favor to ask of you."

"You're not going to ask to use the sleigh again, I hope?" Santa asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Oh no, nothing like that. You see, those Heartless creatures have overrun Halloween Town, and we were trying to find their source. Perhaps you could help us out?"

"Sure," Whiskers added. "After all, you see people when they're sleeping, and know when they're awake, right?"

"Hmm…" Santa stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I suppose there is a way. Come with me." Santa turned and led the group through the workshop and into a special room. In the center of the room sat a large snowball-like object.

"What's that?" Brandy asked, as awe-struck as the others.

"This is my Special Neurotronic Optic Web-linked Bio Activated Lateral Lobe. Or S.N.O.W.B.A.L.L. It's a special viewing device which I use to look in on the children every now and again. I suppose I can use it for other purposes this once."

Santa turned to a switch and activated S.N.O.W.B.A.L.L., causing the giant snow-sphere to glow and show random images all over the worlds. Santa tuned in the right frequencies and began scanning Halloween Town.

"Oh my…" Santa gasped, as the round screen came to stop on the image of a giant mansion, built to resemble Oogie's old mansion. But this one was much more terrifying to behold.

It was completely black, and had tall spires, topped with menacing spikes. The windows glowed bright yellow, and the doors resembled fanged jaws, ready to devour any foolish enough to enter. On the front of the mansion for all to see was the Heartless symbol. Looking at it, Sky had to wonder if the house itself wasn't one big Heartless.

But what everyone noticed most of all were the two figures standing in front of the menacing mansion: Maleficent and Oogie Boogie.

"Maleficent is here?" Sky shouted.

"And she's brought Oogie Boogie back!" Jack declared angrily.

"And who the heck is their designer?" Whiskers asked with a scoff. "Talk about your house disasters! That paint job is atrocious!" Everyone glared at Whiskers. "…What?"

"If Oogie is involved, then we must stop him immediately!" Said Jack.

"And I have to stop Maleficent!" Sky added. "Let's go!"

Sky ran for the door, followed by the others, but Santa stopped them. "Wait! There's something else! Look here." Everyone turned back to face S.N.O.W.B.A.L.L.

The image had changed to show Halloween Town, and a sea of Heartless swarming all over, led by the Headless Horseman.

"Oh no!" Jack gasped. "Sally, Hazel and J.J. are in danger!"

"You all had best get over there quickly!" Said Santa. "If Oogie Boogie and Maleficent are involved, then you can be sure they have something up their sleeves."

"Right!" Jack agreed. "Thank you for everything Sandy!"

Jack ran out the door before Santa could correct him. Santa turned to Sky and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful Sky. And remember, don't let your anger cloud your judgment."

"What?" She asked.

Santa looked her in the eye; he had a knowing look on his face. "Sky, I know you're worried about your family, and I know you are angry with Maleficent for taking them from you… but you cannot let that hatred command your heart. Then you will be no different from her. You should let your love for your family guide you in this endeavor, understand?"

Sky nodded understandingly and smiled. "Thank you Santa."

"No you three had better catch up to Jack. He will need you."

Sky nodded again, and she and Brandy and Whiskers ran after Jack.

---

Jack finally made it back to Halloween Town, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers close behind. But they were too late.

The Heartless had left a trail of destruction in their wake, defacing the houses, destroying the streets, knocking over the guillotine, and crushing the slime fountain.

Sky looked around in horror at the destruction, but suddenly heard a voice. "Jack!" The Mayor called, running towards the group in a frenzy. "It was terrible! Those creatures attacked, and some headless fiend was leading them! I couldn't stop them Jack, how many times must I tell you, **I'm only an elected official!**"

"What about Sally and the children?" Jack demanded.

"Oh dear… I don't know. I ran to hide as soon as the creatures appeared."

Jack turned quickly and ran to his house. Sky and the others followed, struggling to keep up with the long-legged skeleton.

They made it to Jack's house and gasped in horror. It had been the most heavily damaged house in the whole town. And worst of all, there was no sign of Sally, Hazel or J.J.

"Oh no…" Sky gasped. "Where could they be?"

Jack gazed sadly at the ruins of his house and clenched his boney fist in anger. "Isn't it obvious?" He growled. "Oogie has taken them captive… to use them to get to us."

"Then what do we do now?" Whiskers asked.

"What else?" Said Sky, taking the Keyblade in her hand. "…We're going to go get them back!"

---

Oogie unceremoniously threw Sally, J.J. and Hazel into a large cage hanging over a bubbling vat of slime, and locked the door.

"Hehehe, so Jack and the rag doll had kiddies, eh?" Oogie laughed. "How sweet… Though not as sweet as revenge is gonna be! Now I can see why you wanted to catch the Key Bearer and his clan so much!"

Maleficent turned to look at Oogie with an annoyed expression. "My thirst for revenge is far more complex then your petty hatred for Jack Skellington." She explained.

"Whatever," Oogie replied. "You have your revenge, I have mine. By the way, just what is your next move after getting the Keyblade? Last I checked it could only be used by whatever Key Bearer it chooses."

"Once again you underestimate my knowledge. I have my ways of obtaining control of the Keyblade."

"You'll never succeed!" Hazel shouted angrily. "My father and Sky will stop you!"

Maleficent turned and smiled coldly at her. "My dear child," She said. "I am counting on your father to try and stop us. And when he does, he will fall right into our trap, and this world's Gaia shall be ours."

"The Gaia again, huh?" Oogie asked. "So Jack's the one connected to the Gaia?"

"Indeed. He is this world's greatest hero, and as such he is the one whose heart is most likely connected to the world's spirit… and its heart."

"I don't get what's so all fired important about the worlds' hearts anymore. And it's not even all of them, just the ones Sora's been to."

"That is for me to know and you to find out." Maleficent turned and looked out the window at the open field before the mansion. She spotted four figures running towards the dark building. "Ah, our guests have finally arrived. We must give them a proper greeting, don't you think so Oogie Boogie?"

"Huh? What're you talkin' about?"

"I believe a welcoming committee is in order. Perhaps the Headless Horseman would like to volunteer…"

---

Jack, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers approached the Heartless Mansion and looked up at it.

"Sora and I thought we'd destroyed this evil mansion twenty one years ago." Said Jack. "And we destroyed Oogie twice… but now he's back. And he's taken my family from me… for that, he will pay."

"Uncle Jack, I've never seen you so angry." Said Sky, concerned that Jack was getting too mad. "Maybe you aught to calm down?"

"Calm down! That fiend has taken my family!"

"I know Jack," Sky continued. "But you won't help them by running in blinded by rage. Trust me, my family's been taken, too, but we can't let anger lead our hearts."

Jack stared at Sky, considering her words of wisdom, and sighed. "You're right Sky. I must keep my mind on my objective."

Sky smiled and nodded.

"Um… would our objective include getting past him?" Whiskers asked, pointing ahead at the dark figure standing before them.

Everyone turned to see the Headless Horseman standing in the path, mounted on his demonic horse.

"Oh no, not him again!" Brandy whined.

"That's it…" Said Sky, taking the Keyblade in her hand and grimacing determinedly. "I think it's time we took care of this pain in the neck once and for all!"

"I couldn't agree more Sky!" Said Jack. "Our goal is in sight, so let us not waiver now!"

"Yeah, and let's not mess things up either!" Whiskers added. Brandy just sighed in embarrassment.

"So what do you say Tall Dark and Headless?" Sky asked. "How about you get down off that horse and fight like a man?"

If the Headless Horseman had had a mouth he would have smirked at Sky's challenge. Slowly, he dismounted and approached his opponents…

…This battle was going to be fun.


	16. Dangerous Gamble

Wow, another update already! Cool for me! Enjoy!

(I only own the original characters.)

The Headless Horseman held his sword high and lunged for his foes. Sky and the others jumped out of his way just in time, and Whiskers retaliated by casting a gravity spell on him.

With the Horseman momentarily incapacitated by the immense weight, Sky jumped in and struck him across the chest, sending him flying. He quickly recovered however and locked blades with Sky. The two held each other at bay and Sky stared at her enemy. The Horseman gave a shove which pushed Sky down, then raised his sword to attack.

But luckily, Brandy jumped in and spun around in a tornado, blocking the Horseman's sword.

Jack jumped in next and created a wall of fiery pumpkins to push the horseman back.

The Horseman turned to his horse which ran up quickly and he jumped onto its back. Now mounted once again, the Horseman rode like a tornado around Sky and the others, swinging his sword and pumpkin to keep them trapped by the blade and flames.

Sky saw her chance and threw the Keyblade at the Horseman, stunning him momentarily. Sky retrieved the Keyblade and jumped onto the horse, so that she was right behind the Headless Horseman. Sky jumped up and kicked the Horseman, so that they both went flying off the horse.

The Horseman regained his footing and turned to Sky and the others. In a last ditch attempt, he threw the pumpkin at them, and it crashed onto the ground in a blaze of fire and smoke.

The flames soon surrounded Sky and her friends, threatening to burn them all alive. "Jack!" Sky called, and ran to the Pumpkin King.

She took Jack's hand, and he twirled her in a move that would make ay ballroom dancer proud, launching her up into the air where she cast a gigantic Blizzaga spell, putting out the fires.

Sky landed on her feet and raised the Keyblade at the Headless Horseman. "Alright you creep," She said fiercely. "Time to go back to your grave!"

Sky jumped at the Horseman and attacked him head-on, dodging and parrying and striking to match his sword.

Finally, the Horseman raised his sword, giving Sky the opportunity to thrust the Keyblade right through his chest.

The Headless Horseman froze in shock for a moment before dropping his sword to the ground. He staggered backwards before fading away into shadow, never to return to this world.

Sky sighed and looked around. All that remained of the headless foe were the remains of a shattered pumpkin.

"Whew!" Said Sky. "Glad that's over!"

"You fought wonderfully Sky!" Jack cheered, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure your father will be proud!"

Sky nodded with a grateful smile and turned to the mansion. "Come on, Oogie Boogie and Maleficent are inside. It's time they atoned for what they've done."

---

"What!" Oogie shouted angrily. "They won! How could you send such a weakling to fight them!"

Maleficent sighed. She was beginning to grow tired of Oogie and wondered why she'd brought him back again. "Patience. I never intended them to fall before the Headless Horseman. I merely wished to tire them. The battle has exhausted them, and now they will be no match for you."

"Whoa, whoa, back up a bit! Me? What makes you think I'm fighting those jerks alone!"

"This is your world Oogie Boogie, not mine. I shall deal with my enemies soon enough. I have given you all you need; now the rest is up to you." Maleficent turned to the doorway when she heard footsteps. "Ah, our guests have finally made it."

Sky rand in, followed by the others. Upon seeing Maleficent she immediately took out the Keyblade and prepared for battle.

"Maleficent!" She shouted. "Where is my family!"

"I'm afraid it's too soon to reveal that." Maleficent replied calmly. "But rest assured they are all perfectly safe."

"Stop playing games! I want them back!"

"And I want my family back as well!" Jack shouted to Oogie Boogie.

"You want 'em?" Oogie called back. "Come get 'em!"

"I leave you to your job Oogie." Said Maleficent. "I must return and begin the next faze of my plan."

"Wh-what! Don't leave now!"

Maleficent ignored Oogie and turned to Sky. "Until we meet again Sky."

"Maleficent!" Sky shouted angrily, as the witch disappeared.

"The nerve of her!" Oogie shouted. "Leaving me to deal with these jerks alone! Well who needs her! I can take care of this myself."

"Are you ready to fight us Oogie?" Jack asked.

"Hahaha! Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for violence right now! However, I wouldn't be opposed to a little game…"

"What do you mean 'a game'?" Brandy asked.

"Just a little game of chance. A simple roll of the dice! Here's the rules, you each get a turn, and if at least one of you rolls a lucky number seven I'll let Jackie-boy's family go free. But if not, you all go down!" Suddenly, iron bars shot up around Sky and the others, trapping them underneath some very nasty looking blades poised to slice them into bits. "Also, if three of you roll an odd number, you'll be the winners and I'll give myself up!"

"How do we know you'll keep your word?" Jack demanded.

"You don't! But the thing is, you don't have a choice! Hahaha!"

"He's right." Sky growled. "We've gotta try."

"That's the spirit Key-Gal!" Oogie laughed. "So which one of you wants to go first?"

"I will." Jack replied. A pair of dice appeared in his hand, and he shook them around before letting them fall to the ground. "Nine!" He declared.

"Lucky throw!" Oogie scoffed. "How about you go next?" He turned to sky and the dice appeared in her hand next. She shook them and threw them to the ground.

"Five! Yes!" She said with a grin.

The dice appeared in Brandy's hand next. "Your turn Pooch!" Oogie groused.

Brandy grumbled and shook the dice. She threw them to the ground and groaned dismally. "Three? No fair, I want a do-over!"

"No do-overs in this game!" Oogie laughed. "And it's the bunny's turn! This is your last chance to free the rag doll and the kiddies, not to mention yourselves!"

The dice appeared in Whiskers' hands and he looked down at them nervously.

"Come on Whiskers, you can do it!" Sky cheered.

"I dunno…" He replied. "I had a very bad experience with dice once…"

Suddenly, Whiskers flashed back to another time. He rolled dice onto a table and cheered "Yahtzee! I win!" Suddenly the group of grizzly bears he'd been playing with began to growl threateningly. "Um… hooray for me?"

Whiskers' mind returned to the present when Brandy put her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Whiskers, you can't let that stop you, we're all counting on you. Think about Sally, Hazel and J.J. Think about Sky and Jack. And most importantly, think about me!"

Whiskers looked down at the dice again and closed his hand over them. "You're right. It's up to me now! Our fate rests in my hands! I alone am responsible for our lives! I am the--"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever! We're worried enough Whiskers so just throw the dice!"

Whiskers shook the dice around in his hand and threw them to the ground.

The dice fell as though in slow motion and rolled across the floor. One dice finally stopped rolling and landed on six.

Everyone held their breath as the other dice slowed down. Even Oogie couldn't stand the suspense.

Finally, the dice slowed and for a second it appeared as though it would land on two. But then everyone gasped to see it land on one!

Sky and Jack cheered loudly, while Brandy forgot herself and lifted Whiskers up in a huge bear hug.

"What!" Oogie cried in disbelief. "No, it's not possible!"

The cage holding Sally, Hazel and J.J. lowered away from the vat of slime and the door opened automatically. The bars surrounding Sky and the others also lowered, leaving everyone free as a bird.

Sally, Hazel and J.J. rant to Jack and he held them all close.

Sky smiled and turned to Oogie. "Looks like we won Oogie!" She said. "You should know better than to bet against the good guys!"

"No!" Oogie shouted angrily. "I refuse to lose again!"

The large bug filled ghost lunged for Sky, ready to strike her with all he had, but Sky reflexively raised the Keyblade, and a bright aura flowed from her. "Light!" She called, and a bright light blasted Oogie, reducing both his burlap skin and his insect innards to a puff of dark smoke.

The light flowed from Sky and absorbed into the walls of the mansion. Suddenly, the entire building began to shake and fall apart.

"The whole place is coming down!" Jack shouted. "Everyone make a break for it!"

Everyone agreed and they all ran to the exit. Once outside however, they noticed flashes of bright light bursting throughout the mansion. Sky knew that they needed to get away, and fast!

"Need a lift?" Sky and the others turned to see a sleigh, pulled by eight reindeer fly down and land nearby. Santa motioned for them to get in, which they all gladly did. "Come on, before the whole place goes!" Santa pulled the reigns and the sleigh flew off, just as Oogie's Heartless mansion was consumed by a flash of blinding light.

Sky gazed back in amazement. "What… was that?" She asked. "I just held up the Keyblade, and suddenly something in the back of my mind told me to say the word light, and then that happened!"

"It must have been a Light spell." Santa explained.

"A Light spell?"

"Yes. You see, there are all kinds of magic spells. Fire, ice, air, health, and whatnot. But then there is light magic and dark magic. Most of your enemies know dark magic, and even Riku has used dark powers. But Light magic, the power over light itself, now that is a truly unique and special power."

"And… I have it?"

"Apparently so. However, it is a very strong magic, and has taken all your magical energy to use it once. Not to mention you had little control of it. But once you learn to control it Sky… you should have no problem defeating the coming darkness."

Sky smiled proudly at this newfound knowledge. She'd have to talk to Merlin about controlling her newfound power.

"Do you think Oogie Boogie is gone for good?" Sally asked, as she and Jack sat next to each other.

"Of course!" Jack replied with a smile. "After what Sky did, I doubt even Maleficent could ever bring him back! And as for you Mr. Whiskers," Jack turned to face Whiskers. "I owe you my thanks. If it hadn't been for your dice throw we never would have succeeded."

"Aw shucks," Whiskers replied modestly. "It was nothing."

---

Santa came to land near the twisted hill and everyone got out of the sleigh.

"Thank you for the ride Mr. Santa Clause." Hazel said with a curtsey. "We really appreciate it."

"You're quite welcome." Santa replied with a warm smile.

Jack turned to look at Sky and smiled. "Sky, I must say you've impressed me. I don't think we could have asked for a better Key Bearer in Sora's absence."

"Thanks Uncle Jack," Sky replied. "That means a lot."

Jack held out his hand and Sky took it. Suddenly, Sky's mind was filled with the memories of the first time Sora, Donald and Goofy had arrived in Halloween Town, their first meeting with Jack Skellington, and their battle against Oogie Boogie.

The Keyblade then began to glow and floated into the air. A beam of light came from it and passed through Sky and into Jack.

The light soon faded and the Keyblade returned to Sky's hand. The Gaia had been purified.

"What was that?" Jack asked in an awestruck voice.

"I'll explain later," Sky replied. "Let's just say that the problems with the Heartless are over in Halloween Town."

"Wonderful! Then the festivities can continue! And I've got a great idea how to make things even spookier! Once we've repaired all the damage that is."

"Sounds great. I wish we could stay and join you."

"Don't worry, you can always come back! Right now though just concentrate on saving Sora and the others."

"Right." Sky turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Let's be on our way then."

Jack joined his family and Santa Clause. "Good Luck Sky. We're all cheering for you!"

"Bye Sky!" Hazel called as she held J.J. The little skeletal toddler waved goodbye and cooed happily.

---

Maleficent reappeared in her castle to see Will leaning over the divining pool, looking at what remained of the land around Oogie's mansion.

"Welcome home," He said. "Looks like Oogie bit the big one, eh?"

"Why should I care?" Maleficent replied. "Oogie was merely a pawn in a much larger game. His death is of no consequence."

"I'll bet you've said that before. Yet how often has one of your pals failing only led to your own failure?"

"Tread softly William… you try my patience! As for my 'pals', I have not made the mistake of placing any dependence on them this time. All is still going according to plan."

"Glad to hear it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go wander around bored out of my skull."

Will began to walk away, but Maleficent stopped him. "Actually, I have another job for you."

Will turned around with a curious grin. "You want me to face Sky and the odd couple again?"

"Perhaps, but not to destroy them. I want you to meet up with Hades. He will enter you into a competition, where you will face a demigod."

"A demigod? You don't mean…"

"Indeed. Hercules."

"Hmm, I always did wonder just how strong he was. And I do love a competition."

"Good… because this competition will be the fight of your life."

---

Sky stared out the window, lazily watching the stars as the Gummi Ship ran on autopilot, headed for Radiant Garden. Halloween Town was fun and all, but she was glad to be back to her normal-looking self, as were the others.

Whiskers watched with interest as Gadget wrote down a new entry in the journal. "Hey Gadget, where are you most of the time?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Gadget asked, looking up from the journal.

"Well, Sky, Brandy and me are out there fighting the bad guys, but I never see you. And yet you always write everything down like you were there."

"Oh, that. I just stay in Sky's pocket. I spend most of my time in there writing, so you don't really hear from me much. Jiminy, the last journal keeper, did the same thing."

"Oooh that explains it!"

"Just what kinda stuff do you write?" Brandy asked, trying to read the mouse's tiny handwriting.

"Oh I just write what's happened so far, who we meet, what new powers and clues and items Sky gets, oh and I've even got this neat section all about the new moves she does with other heroes. The ones she did with Jack I've decided to call 'Ballroom Zoom' and 'Blizzard Ballet', and I've dubbed the move she did with Caz 'Desert Slice 'n' Dice'!"

"Ooh, catchy!" Said Whiskers. "Hey, we could call her move with Dave 'Barbaric Barrage'!"

"That's a good one!" Gadget agreed, and quickly added it to the journal.

Sky smiled but turned to the control panel to see the PUSH ME! Button flashing again.

"Hey Guys!" She called back. "Brace yourselves, Gramps is calling."

Brandy Whiskers and Gadget all sat down and looked straight ahead, more than ready for Cid to pop up and shout at them.

Sky pressed the button and braced herself, only for Yuffie's smiling image to show up. "Hey guys!" She said sweetly. "How's it going?"

Sky blinked in confusion. "Uh… fine Aunt Yuffie… thanks. Where's Gramps?"

"RIGHT HERE!" Cid shouted, jumping out from behind Yuffie. Sky, Brandy, Whiskers and Gadget all jumped two feet and fell out of their chairs. "Ha! I knew that'd get ya!"

"Real hilarious Gramps…" Sky growled through gritted teeth, as she climbed back into her chair. "What's up?"

"We just got a communication from Olympus Coliseum." Yuffie replied. "We thought you guys aught to have a look."

"You're done in Halloween Town, right?" Cid asked.

"Oh no," Brandy replied sarcastically. "We still have a lot to do; we just decided to take a break in the Gummi ship."

"Cut the sarcasm Miss Harrington, or I'll have Yuffie here give you double training time."

"We're on our way now Gramps." Said Sky. We'll see you soon."

"Later!" Yuffie called, before the transmission ended.

"Wonder what the communication says?" Whiskers wondered out loud.

"Knowing our luck," Said Brandy. "It's gonna tell us we have more work to do."


	17. What the Message Said, or, Kingdom Mops

I'm back again!

(I still only own the characters I thought up myself.)

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers landed the Gummi ship in the Gummi Garage in the Citadel and began searching for the others. However, after wandering the halls of the Citadel for a few minutes there was no sign of anyone. Even Tron wasn't in contact with the Citadel's computer monitors.

"Gee, where do you think everyone is?" Whiskers asked.

"They must not be in the Citadel right now." Sky replied. "Maybe they're down at Merlin's house or something."

"Bingo!" Sky, Brandy and Whiskers jumped a little before turning to see a tall man in a dark green jumpsuit with a nametag that said 'Janitor' mopping up the floors behind them. Though none of them knew where he'd come from. "Cid, Jumba and Leo went down to Merl's house to look over some dark magic readings or some such mumbo-jumbo."

"Oh, Hey Janitor." Said Sky. "You kinda gave us a scare. It's nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too Sky." Janitor said with a smile, leaning on his mop. "Following in good ol' Sora's footsteps I see. Ah, to see a child continuing their dear old dad's legacy. Reminds me of me and my dad."

"Oh. Was he a janitor too?" Whiskers asked.

"Heck, no! He was a plumber! And what happened to you Donald? You look terrible!" Janitor sniffed and cringed in disgust. "And you smell worse!" He turned to Brandy next. "And Goofy! Sheesh, I had no idea you swung that way. Eh, but whatever float's your boat, I guess. Still, you're not a convincing girl."

Sky tried to suppress a chuckle as Brandy turned red with anger. "Janitor, these aren't Donald and Goofy. They're my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

"I know that," Janitor laughed. "I was just giving them a hard time. But seriously, the rabbit could use a shower. So, what's new?"

"We heard there was a communication from Olympus Coliseum." Sky explained. "We were hoping to find Cid and find out what it was."

"You wouldn't happen to know what it was, would you?" Brandy asked.

"What, just cause I'm a janitor, I should know these things?" Janitor asked, seemingly offended. "Just cause a guy sweeps and mops up he should automatically know what's going on? That just cause he has the keys to every door in this entire building, including the girls shower, he has nothing better to do than eavesdrop on the big-wigs' conversations? Seriously, the worlds are in sad, sad condition when us hard working blue-collar shlubs are so easily stereotyped!" Janitor turned his back to Brandy with a "Humph!"

"Gee, we're sorry." Said Whiskers. "So, I guess you don't know?"

"Nah, I know alright." Janitor quickly did a one-eighty and cheered up again. "I just can't tell ya, cause I was sworn to secrecy."

Brandy and Whiskers nearly fell over, but Sky just laughed. "That's Janitor for you." She said.

"Well, this has been fun," Said Janitor, shouldering his mop and lifting up his bucket. "But my shift ends in a few minutes, and there's a certain doctor I've gotta go torment. Good luck!"

"Thanks Janitor!" Sky replied, as she waved at the departing man.

"That guys…" Said Brandy. "…Could possibly be the weirdest guy we've met so far."

"Eh, Janitor grows on you." Sky said with a shrug. "Come on, let's get to Merlin's house!"

---

Sky entered Merlin's house to see Cid and the others all gathered inside.

"Hey, we're back!" She called happily.

"Just in time!" Cid replied. "How'd everything go in Halloween Town?"

Sky explained everything to them, and made especially sure to mention her encounter with Maleficent and the incident with the Light spell.

"Ah, so you actually used Light magic?" Merlin asked. "Quite impressive indeed. Of course you'll have to train before you can use it practically."

"Do you think you could train me Merlin?" Sky asked.

"I could train you a little, but Light magic is very rare my dear. I'm afraid even I don't know all about it. Hmm, but one man might. Master Yen Sid."

"Who's he?" Brandy asked.

"He is the universe's greatest sorcerer." Merlin explained. "He was one of the first to foresee the great darkness coming, and even trained me to use my magic."

"He trained _you _Master Merlin?" Whiskers gasped in awe. "Wow, he must be the greatest."

"Indeed, and he's also trained many others. The King himself was his apprentice. I'm sure he'll be able to help you Sky."

"That'll have to wait for later." Said Leo. "Right now we have other matters."

"We received a message from Olympus Coliseum," Zephyr explained. "And it says that this year's Games have begun."

"The Games?" Sky gasped. "Alright!"

"What are the games?" Whiskers asked.

"It's a competition taking place once a year in Olympus Coliseum." Sky explained. "My Dad and Uncle Donald and Goofy were legends there."

"Unfortunately," Leo continued. "We also have reason to believe that Hades may have teamed up with Maleficent again. If that is the case, he'll undoubtedly use the Games to his advantage, like before."

"That's why we've decided to send you guys to sign up!" Yuffie said cheerfully. "You can participate in the competition and see what's going on."

Sky's eyes lit up. "Really? I'm going to be in the Games… just like a real hero?"

"Don't get too excited." Said Cid. "The Games are tougher than yer dad made 'em look. You three are gonna have to work hard to make the cut."

"Ah, it'll be a piece of cake." Said Whiskers. "I mean, come on. We've come this far, right? These Games'll be a breeze! Uh… by the way, what kind of games are they? Monopoly? Clue? Tic-tac-toe?"

---

"A fighting tournament?.!" Whiskers moaned as the Gummi ship once more flew through space, headed for Olympus Coliseum. "But doesn't that involve a lot of… fighting?"

"Yes Whiskers…" Sky replied, rolling her eyes. "Fighting tournaments usually have fighting."

"Why exactly must saving all of creation be so much work?" Brandy whined. "I mean, come on! Superman makes it look so easy!"

"Well you know, he did have super strength, and all he had to take care of was Metropolis." Said Whiskers. "Plus he occasionally had help from Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash…"

"Never mind Whiskers!" Brandy shouted. "Honestly, can things get any worse?"

---

"Honestly, can things get any _better_?" Hades laughed, as he sat back in his throne, deep in the underworld. "The games have begun, my Heartless minions are in place, and Blunder Boy is none the wiser! Ah, it's a wonderful afterlife!" He glanced down at the figure staring out at the underworld though the eye shaped window of Hades' home. "Well, except for the fact that Maleficent stuck me with her new lapdog."

"I am no one's lapdog." Will growled, not caring to look back at the lord of the dead. "I'm only a part-time assistant. And I'm not too thrilled to be here myself!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Said Hades. "Just try not to screw up, okay? You're here to take care of Jerkules, which is why I've agreed to baby-sit you in the first place."

"I remember," Will said disinterestedly. "You help me work my way up the ranks in the games till I face Hercules, then I use the Heartless to take his heart and the World's Gaia."

"Good, just remember that Fido and you'll do fine."

Will rolled his eyes. Hopefully his freedom would be worth putting up with all these idiots.

---

Sky landed the Gummi ship and she, Brandy and Whiskers entered the large gates.

"Welcome to Olympus Coliseum guys!" Sky declared. "Pretty impressive, huh?"

"Yeah, looks sorta… Romanesque." Said Whiskers. Brandy once again sighed.

The three walked across the courtyard and entered the coliseum. Inside they saw a short man with goat legs and horns looking over some names written on a scroll.

"Hiya Phil!" Sky said cheerfully.

"Not now," Phil replied, not looking up from the scroll. "I'm busy, can't you see that?"

"But Phil, it's me."

"I don't care if you're Hera herself. I'm busy looking over the games so just go…" Phil finally looked up and saw who he was talking to and immediately changed his attitude. "Sky! Well ain't you a sight fer sore eyes! What brings you here?"

"I heard the Games were starting." Sky explained. "Oh, and these are my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

"Nice ta meet ya. So, where's your dad? I expected him and those other two knuckleheads'd be with you."

"Well… unfortunately they're not gonna be able to come. It's a long story… But, we thought we could enter the tournament."

Suddenly, Phil began laughing hysterically. "What? You three? Hahahaha!"

"Hey, what is so funny?.!" Brandy demanded.

"Eh, it's like I told her dad the first time he wanted to enter. These games are only for true heroes."

"Hey, aren't we heroes?" Whiskers asked.

"Of course we are!" Sky replied. "We've fought a whole bunch of monsters!"

"Yeah, yeah, same tune your dad sang Kid." Phil scoffed. "But like I told him, if you ain't a hero, you can't enter."

"Wait…" Sky said thoughtfully. "Dad did enter, and it turned out for the best."

"Uh…" Phil scratched his head. "Th… That was different. He had a pass, and that was just a stroke of luck."

"C'mon Phil, please let us enter?"

"Sorry Kid, but rules are rules."

"Don't be that way Phil." Sky, Brandy and Whiskers turned to see a tall, muscular man walk in. "After all, she is Sora's daughter. I have a feeling she'll surprise you."

"Uncle Hercules!" Said Sky. "Boy am I glad to see you!"

"Glad to see you too Sky. But where are Sora Donald and Goofy?"


	18. Olympus Coliseum

Hey everyone!

I'm sorry to say it, but this chapter sucks. I don't know why, I tried really hard to get it right, but it's still... eh.

Anyhow, I hope you all enjoy it nonetheless!

(I do not own anything I didn't think up myself... wait, haven't I said that before?)

_Young Will looked up at the sky from a balcony. He was still eight years old, still a normal child with brown hair and blue eyes._

_His father had been gone for weeks now on official business. Nothing new, really. But still, it made him sad to not have his father around._

"_Something wrong?" Will jumped a little, not expecting someone to see him looking so sad, and turned to see his mother smiling at him._

"_No, not really." He lied._

_Belle just sighed and shook her head. She knew better. "It's okay to miss your father William. I do, too. But what he's doing is important."_

"_Important to him, maybe." Will frowned. "More important than us."_

_Belle looked at Will sadly and put her arms around him. "Don't say things like that. You know your father loves us." Will didn't reply. He just sighed and let Belle hug him tightly. "Your father may not be here right now, but he's there in our hearts, just as we're in his. Don't lose sight of your Heart William… Don't lose sight of it."_

---

Will woke up slowly and groaned. It was that same dream that had been bugging him for days.

He sat up and looked around at the room Hades had given him while he was in the Games. A simple room with just a bed, a door, a ceiling and four walls. Way more basic than the kind of rooms he'd grown up in. But to tell the truth, it didn't matter.

Will got up onto his feet -or maybe "paws" was a better word for them now- and headed out the door to prepare for the Games. _Maybe a good fight will get my mind off of things…_

---

Sky had finished explaining the situation to Phil and Hercules, and the two were rendered speechless by the news.

"So you see," Said Sky. "I have to be in the games to find out what Hades is up to."

"I see," Hercules said as he rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "Phil, do you think maybe you can make a special exception in this case? After all, there are lives at stake."

Phil thought it over a moment and sighed in defeat. "Alright, you three can participate in the Games."

"Yes!" Sky, Brandy and Whiskers cheered.

"Now just hold your horses. This doesn't mean you guys are heroes yet. All it means is that you're entering under a 'hero-in-training' basis, meaning you guys are under my tutoring."

"Aww, but Phil!" Sky pleaded. "Why can't we be heroes?"

"Look kid, it ain't personal. You three just ain't hero material yet."

Sky sighed. "Oh, alright. At least we're in the games."

"When do we start?" Brandy asked.

"Your first match will be against a team called… Armor Brigade." Phil replied, checking the list. "You fight them as soon as the next couple of matches are over."

"Can we go and watch?" Sky asked.

"Sure thing." Hercules answered. "Let's go."

---

Inside the Coliseum, rows upon rows of cheering fans sat around the arena, waiting to see the great battles.

In a special box, added to the Coliseum when Hercules rebuilt it, sat a blue man wearing pink sunglasses and winged sandals. "Hello, and welcome once again to the games!" He spoke into a magical, microphone-like object. "I'm your commentator Hermes, and it is a beautiful day for a tournament. Not surprising as the star of our show is none other than Zeus's son himself. And for our first match we have the terrible three-headed guardian of the underworld himself, Cerberus!" The giant monster dog lumbered into the arena, accompanied by the crowd's boos. "And facing him will be none other than those twin power-houses of might, the muscle brothers themselves, sons of the great Hercules himself, Alexios and Gregorios!"

The crowd began to roar with cheers as two young men, one tall, with muscular arms and brown hair, the other slightly shorter and with dark hair, stepped into the arena. The taller looked to be eighteen while the other was about sixteen, and they both wore armor similar to Hercules'.

"There's my boys!" Hercules cheered proudly.

"Wow, your sons are competing too?" Whiskers asked.

"Sure, they've been competing since they were twelve."

"Those two are great fighters," Sky added. "This should be fun to watch."

"Yeah…" Brandy agreed, admiring the older one's muscles.

The younger brother, Alexios, began waving to the crowds.

"Will you stop being such a prima donna?" The elder brother, Gregorios asked.

"Ah, you're just jealous cause I'm more popular than you." Alex replied.

"Whatever." Greg turned to look at Cerberus. "Let's just get this over with."

"Right, you take the ugly head, I'll handle the other two."

"Wait… which one is the ugly head?"

Before they could sort it out, Cerberus lunged for them with all three jaws snapping wildly. Greg and Alex jumped out of the way just in time though, and Alex jumped onto the dog's back and held the middle head's ears like reigns, guiding the monster as he thrashed around the arena.

Alex jumped off as the other two heads began snapping at him, which created the perfect distraction for Greg to deliver a powerful uppercut to Cerberus' middle jaw.

The beast fell onto it's back, out like a light. The fight was over.

"And unsurprisingly, Gregorios and Alexios win!" Hermes cheered.

The crowd roared excitedly as Alex bowed triumphantly.

"Will you please knock that off?" Greg grumbled as the two brothers left the arena.

"Great job boys!" Phil cheered. "Good to see some of that training has paid off!"

"You did great!" Hercules added.

"Thanks Dad." Said Greg. He turned and noticed Sky and smiled. "Hey Sky, what's up?"

"Hey Greg, hey Alex." Said Sky. "I'm here to fight in the Games with my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

"Really? That's awesome!" Said Alex. "Good luck!"

"Thanks." Sky replied with a smile.

"Well folks, are you ready for another fight?" Hermes asked. "Because the next match is coming up. This time we have some off-worlders competing. In one corner is team Nocturn!" Suddenly, several Gargoyle and Wight Knight Heartless appeared in the Arena. Sky wasn't too surprised. "And a newcomer to the Games, this little lady hails from the great land of Radiant Garden! Please welcome Miss Nami Stryfe!"

Upon hearing her name, a girl with long blond hair walked onto the arena, carrying a gigantic sword.

"Hey!" Said Brandy. "Isn't that Zephyr?"

Sky looked at the girl and gasped. The girl did indeed look almost exactly like Zephyr, except her hair had more of a curl to it, and there was a more mischievous look to her. She wore a short white skirt and a white tank top with a short sleeved denim jacket over it, and knee-high boots colored dark red. The sword she carried was almost identical to Cloud's except that it was slightly smaller, and didn't have a cloth wrapped around it.

"That's not Zephyr," Said Sky. "That's her sister Nami!"

"Sister?" Brandy and Whiskers asked in confusion.

Nami walked into the arena and stared down her enemies.

"Now let's see…" She said, as she counted the Heartless. "Hmm, seven of you against one of me. Those odds don't seem too fair… for you."

Nami raised her sword as a Wight Knight ran towards her. She brought the sword down on the Heartless, slicing it in half. She then jumped into the midst of the other Heartless and side-swiped them, taking out two Gargoyles. The three remaining Wight Knights and 1 Gargoyle jumped away, but Nami simply swatted the last Gargoyle out of the air.

A Heartless tried to attack her from behind, but she simply turned the blade back, running it right into the Heartless.

The two remaining enemies lunged for her, but she jumped into the air at the last minute and brought the sword to the ground, creating a tremor that shook the entire coliseum.

The two Heartless disappeared and their captive hearts floated away as Nami returned to her feet gracefully and casually flipped a stray strand of hair from her eyes.

The crowd remained speechless for a moment, staring in awe at the spectacle before them, before erupting into a deafening roar of cheers.

"Amazing, simply amazing!" Hermes called. "We haven't seen a move like that in years! Give it up for Nami Stryfe!"

Nami waved to the crowd and smiled proudly.

"That was unbelievable!" Whiskers cheered.

"Yup, she's got some pretty good moves," Phil agreed. "For a girl, that is." Brandy and Sky promptly punched him in either arm. "Ouch! Hey, what was that for?"

"Alright folks," Hermes continued. "I think we could all do with a break, but don't worry cause the next battle will begin in just a few moments!"

"I sure hope you're ready for this," Phil said to Sky. "I have a feeling your opponent ain't gonna be a cakewalk."

"We'll be ready." Sky assured him.

"Let's hope so…" Sky turned to see a familiar, but unwelcome figure walk up. "I'd hate it if you were eliminated before I got a chance at taking you down."

"Will!" Sky growled, taking out the Keyblade. "What are you doing here?"

"Hades gave me a pass." Will explained. "I'm in the games, too."

"What? What are you and Hades planning Will?"

"Sorry, but that's on a need-to-know basis. And you don't need to know." Sky growled and clutched the Keyblade tighter. "Aw, what's the matter? Getting angry, are ya? Remember, take one swing at me and you're out of the Games."

"He's right Sky." Said Hercules, placing his hand on her shoulder. "It's against the rules to fight another competitor unless you're in a match."

Sky glared at Will for a moment, but finally put the Keyblade away. "This isn't over…" She grumbled.

"Oh, you bet it isn't." Will replied. He turned and walked away.

Sky fumed a second more but turned to see Nami walk up. "Geez, what a creep." She said. She turned and smiled at Sky. "Hey, how's it going Sky?"

"Nami, what are you doing here?" Sky asked.

"Ah, I got bored and decided to go world-hopping a few weeks ago. When I heard about the Games, I decided to give it a go."

"But everyone has been worried about you."

"Come on Sky, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." Nami turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Hey, who're your new friends? Is the girl related to Goofy?"

"No, I am not." Brandy replied, a little annoyed at people always drawing some connection between her and a guy named "Goofy." "I am Brandy Harrington. Of the Florida Haringtons."

"And I am Mr. Whiskers." Said Whiskers. "I'm not related to Goofy either, but I do have a great-uncle named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and a third cousin named Rodger."

"Um… nice to know." Said Nami. "Anyhow Sky, I heard about what happened. I was sorry to hear it."

"Thanks." Sky replied.

"Uh-oh," Said Phil, looking at a sundial on his wrist. "Time for the next match. Looks like you three are up."

Sky nodded and she, Brandy and Whiskers readied themselves.

"Alright ladies and gents!" Hermes announced. "Time for the Games to continue! This time we've got three newcomers in their first-ever appearance at the Coliseum. Please welcome Team Keyblade!"

The crowd cheered as Sky, Brandy and Whiskers entered the arena.

"Team Keyblade?" Brandy asked. "What idiot thought of that?"

"They're opponents for this round," Hermes continued. "Will be the fearsome Armor Brigade!"

Three Soldier Heartless appeared in the arena, plus two Large Bodies. Sky took out the Keyblade and prepared to fight.

A Soldier lunged for Sky, but she simply struck its helmet, knocking it down.

Whiskers stopped another soldier in its tracks with a Stopra spell and blasted it with a fire ball.

Brandy spotted the third soldier running straight at her and decided to try out a new move. "Try this on for size!" She threw her shield down and it rolled on its edge like a buzz saw towards the Heartless, knocking it down like a bowling pin. The shield turned and rolled back to Brandy, and she struck a final blow to the Heartless. "I rock!"

Whiskers and Sky also finished off their respective Soldier Heartless and turned to the Large Bodies just as they began to charge.

The two large Heartless struck Sky and the others full force, knocking them down.

"I hate Heartless so much!" Brandy shrieked.

"I think it's time we called in a friend…" Said Sky. She took out the lamp and gave it a rub.

Blue smoke came out of the lamp, and from it Genie appeared. "What took you so long?" He asked.

"Help us take care of those guys." Sky replied, pointing at the Heartless.

"No problemo Sky!" Genie said confidently. He disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared behind the Heartless, blasting them with a Blizzaga spell that froze them into solid blocks of ice.

"Come on Sky," He called. "Let's break the ice!"

Genie held out his hand to Sky, and she took it in her own. He lifted her up onto his shoulders and the two began blasting the Heartless ice-sculptures with magical blasts, until the two icebergs burst into pieces, and two hearts floated away.

"Thanks for the assist Genie!" Said Sky.

"Anytime Sky!" Genie replied and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

"And that's that folks!" Hermes called, as the crowd cheered. "With the help of a summon spell, Sky has brought Team Keyblade to victory! Wild, huh?"

"Humph!" Will scoffed, as he watched from a little ways off. "Doesn't she know how to fight without calling for help?"

"Come now, you're not being a sour loser, are you?" Hades asked as he appeared from a dark portal.

"I didn't lose to her." Will corrected. "That fight was a test of her abilities. I wasn't allowed to destroy her anyway."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you wanna believe kid. Anyways, you're up next. And trust me; your opponent isn't a pushover."

"Whatever. I've got things under control."

"Famous last words. And believe me, I aughta know. I've heard most of 'em."

Will just shrugged his shoulders and walked away to prepare for the battle.

"Hmm… I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"What is it Boss?" Pain asked as he and Panic appeared from a burst of flame. "Do you feel a disturbance in the Force?"

"Shut up you numb-skull!" Hades snapped. "Something about that kid doesn't sit right with me. I'm starting to think maybe I need a backup plan…"

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers left the arena smiling proudly.

"Told you it'd be a piece of cake." Said Sky, as she rested the Keyblade on her shoulder.

"Maybe," Said Phil. "But unfortunately, ever since the Games became open to off-worlders the rules say that teams are only allowed one summon spell. And you just wasted it on one of the small-fries."

"What?" Sky's shoulders drooped. "How come no-one told me that?"

"You never asked." Alex replied.

Sky sighed and shook her head. "Oh well, it doesn't really matter. We can still take anyone that comes our way!"

"That's a good attitude to have Sky." Said Hercules. "Spoken like a true hero-in-training."

"Can we stop using that term?" Brandy asked. "It's getting on my nerves."

"Hey, the next match is starting!" Said Greg. Everyone turned to the arena.

"Time for the next exciting battle ladies and gents!" Hermes called. "For this fight we have yet another newcomer. A really beastly boy, let's hear it for William!" Will walked into the arena and sneered at Sky and the others. "And here comes his opponent, the mighty Minotaur!"

Suddenly, a gigantic beast with the head of a bull and the body of a man stomped into the arena and glared down at Will.

"Whoa! That thing is huge!" Said Whiskers.

"Hades is really scraping the bottom of the barrel if you ask me." Said Nami.

"Hades entered that thing into the competition?" Sky asked in confusion. "So, does that mean this fight is fixed?"

"I doubt it. Hades got the Minotaur into the Coliseum, but not even a god could get it to throw a fight. Looks like Will's in for the ride of his life."

Back in the arena, Will just grinned at the monstrosity before him. "Hades thinks _you're _gonna be a challenge? Please, I've scraped uglier things off the bottom of my shoe."

The battle began and the Minotaur slammed his fist on the ground, barely missing Will who jumped up onto the monster's back.

He grabbed the creature's horns and threw it down like a regular bull and kicked it across the arena. The Minotaur got back up and charged towards Will who side-stepped just in time, causing it to hit a nearby wall.

The Minotaur turned back to face Will and charged again. This time, Will stood his ground. Narrowly dodging the horns, he punched the Minotaur in the face with all his might. The Minotaur staggered backwards before falling down unconscious.

The crowd cheered while Sky's jaw dropped. Will was far more powerful than she had first given him credit for. Will turned a grinned smugly at her, causing her anger to rise.

"Yet another spectacular performance!" Hermes announced as Will left the arena. "Well folks, that's all the fighting for today. Come back tomorrow for more excitement!"

"It's over?" Brandy asked sadly. "But we just got here!"

"You guys got here kinda late." Alex explained. "Don't worry; it'll be even better tomorrow."

"By better, do you mean more or less fighting?" Whiskers asked nervously, still jumpy after seeing Cerberus and a Minotaur.

"Come on, let's go get some rest for tomorrow." Said Hercules, as he led everyone out of the Coliseum.

---

A little later, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers sat alone on the Coliseum steps, planning their next move.

"So, we're stuck here for the night?" Brandy asked in her whiney voice.

"I guess." Sky replied with a sigh. "I still can't get over how easily Will beat that Minotaur. I mean, we have weapons and magic, and we still needed to call in help! Maybe… maybe we're not cut out for this." Sky rested her head in her hands.

Whiskers looked up at the stars and tapped Sky on the shoulder. "Hey, what's that?" He asked.

Sky and Brandy looked up to see a large constellation in the sky, in the shape of a teenage boy, a dog, and a duck.

Sky smiled as she looked at the formation of stars. "That's my dad." She replied. "And Uncle Donald and Uncle Goofy. They proved themselves to be true heroes and so Zeus set a constellation in the sky in their honor. It's kinda a tradition here."

"Wow, that's so awesome." Said Brandy. "Do you think we'll ever get our own constellation?"

"Sure you will." Sky, Brandy and Whiskers turned to see Nami walk up and sit next to them. "After all Sky, your dad is the famous Sora. A little of him must have brushed off onto you."

"I hope so." Sky replied. "Because finding everyone and saving the world is a lot tougher than I thought it would be."

Nami smiled and ruffled Sky's hair. "Don't worry Sky. Take it from another great hero's daughter. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"I thought we were talking about heroes, not fruit." Said Whiskers.

"It's an expression you moron!" Brandy grumbled.

Suddenly, there was a huge explosion inside the coliseum.

"What was that?" Sky asked.

"I don't know," Nami replied. "Let's check it out!"

---

Sky and the others ran into the Coliseum to find Hercules, Phil, Alex and Greg already there.

"What's going on?" Nami asked.

"Something's attacking the Coliseum!" Phil explained. "And whatever it is, it's big!"

Another blast rocked the ground, nearly causing everyone to fall. Suddenly, a large creature broke through the wall.

Sky gasped when she realized it was the minotaur. But something was wrong with it.

It's skin was now pitch black, and covered in dark purple fur. It's eyes were a bright yellow color, and it's horns were twice as long as before, and when it opened it's mouth it revealed a row of fangs. On its chest was the Heartless symbol for all to see.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Brandy shouted. "The stinking minotaur got turned into a Heartless?"

"It's destroying the Coliseum!" Said Hercules. "We've gotta stop it!"

"Right!" Said Sky, as the Keyblade appeared in her hands.

Just then, dozens of Heartless appeared all around.

"Change of plans!" Said Nami, as she sliced a Heartless in two with her sword. "Hercules, Greg, Alex and I will deal with these guys, you three take out the big one!"

Sky nodded, as did Brandy and Whiskers.

"I've got two words for you three," Phil added. "Good luck, and don't get killed!"

"Wait a second, that's more than two words…" Whiskers mumbled. But Brandy grabbed him by the ears and dragged him away.

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers approached the Minotaur Heartless cautiously and took out their weapons.

The minotaur lunged for Sky and hit her, just as she raised the Keyblade to deflect the blow.

Whiskers shot a Firaga spell at it, but it simply swatted it away with its hand. It then turned to Brandy and a bolt of electricity shot from its horns and hit her. She tried to block it with her shield, but was still thrown off her feet.

"Are you okay?" Sky asked Brandy, as Whiskers used Curaga to heal her.

"I'll be fine." Brandy replied. "But that thing's a lot faster than it looks."

Sky turned to look at the lumbering beast and frowned. How would they take down something that big and fast?"

It was then that she remembered the gift Genie had given her and turned to Whiskers. "Let's do it Whiskers!" she said.

Sky held out her hand and Whiskers took it. The two disappeared inside a flash of light. The light faded and Sky stood alone, her shirt now red, her pants blue, and her belt, boots, and sleeves were green. The heart on her shirt was white, and had a blue wing symbol on it. Her hair now had a white sheen to it, and her eyes seemed to swirl with a mixture of blue and pink. In her hand was the Keyblade, as well as Spellbinder, held against the Keyblade so that it pointed down rather than up, creating a double-bladed Keyblade.

Sky was now in her Speed Form.

She turned to the Minotaur and charge it, dodging its fists and electric blasts to jump onto it's back.

Moving almost too fast to see, Sky jumped up to its hors and sliced on off, causing the beast to roar in pain.

Sky then jumped down, and twirling the Keyblades like an airplane propeller, struck the Minotaur's legs, forcing it to the ground. Sky then jumped into the air and threw the Keyblades like a spear, hitting it right in the chest.

The Heartless disappeared in a puff of smoke, and its heart floated away as Sky and Whiskers separated again.

"Whoa, what a rush!" Said Whiskers.

"So, so wrong…" Brandy mumbled.

As soon as the Heartless Minotaur had been defeated, it was a simple task for Hercules and the others to finish off the other Heartless. Once they had, they joined Sky, Brandy and Whiskers and looked around at the damage.

"What a mess!" Said Greg. "Looks like the Games will have to be postponed for awhile."

"Postponed!" Brandy whined. "So we've got to wait even longer!"

"Ah, don't worry about it." Said Hercules. "It won't take too long. A few days at best."

"In that case," Said Sky. "I think maybe Brandy, Whiskers and I had better be going. We have no time to lose in looking for Maleficent. Do you think Hades and Will will try anything?"

"Not after this he won't. He'll know we're on our guard and wait till the Games start again to make his next move."

"Well then, when they do start again we'll be back."

"Good to hear it Sky."

Nami placed a hand on Sky's shoulder and smiled at her. "Do me a favor and tell everyone back home I said hi, okay Sky?"

"Will do." Sky replied. "But, don't you think it'd be better to tell them yourself?"

"Soon enough Sky. I'm gonna hang around here awhile and help out first." Sky nodded in understanding.

"Take care Sky," Said Phil. "And when you three do get back, you're gonna go through some serious training, and get you in shape for the real competition."

"I wouldn't have it any other way Phil." Sky said with a smile. She turned and gave one last look at the stars, gazing at Sora's smiling face. Maybe they were cut out for this after all…

---

"I don't believe this!" Hades screamed as fire shot from his arms and the flame on his head turned fiery orange. "Who told those stupid Heartless to take that Minotaur's heart!"

"I guess your Minotaur was just a sore loser." Will replied with a shrug. "His heart may not have been strong, but it had the same basic needs as any living creature, including the need to win. I guess its heart became so tainted with hate after I beat it that the Heartless couldn't resist."

"Whatever." Hades calmed himself and looked down at the miniature figures set out on the table. "I guess this is just a setback. The Coliseum will get repaired, and my plan will be back on track." He moved his hand over to the figure of the Minotaur and picked it up, burning it to ashes. "And I suppose you're not gonna stick around?"

"The plan was for me to fight in the Games and take Hercules out." Will replied. "If there are no Games, then why should I stay here? I have better things to do." Will opened a dark portal and prepared to walk through it. "Call me when the competition starts again."

Will walked through the portal and it disappeared. Hades just chuckled to himself. "Does Maleficent know how to pick 'em or what?"

---

It was a beautiful day in Port Royal. Seagulls squawked overhead, as the sun shone down from a clear sky.

A figure stood alone on the wall which stood before the colony, and stared out at the ocean.  
Aerith smiled as she breathed in the salty air, and listened to the waves crashing to the shore. Even if it was on business, she always loved traveling to new, beautiful worlds, and this world, with its oceans and open skies was one of her favorites. Even if it did have the occasional pirate attack.

She turned to the bell hanging nearby and gasped when she noticed a piece of paper stuck inside. She reached over and pulled it out and began reading.

To her surprise, the handwriting was very, _very _familiar…

---

Seriously, there was something up with that bell in KH2! Why else would it be important enough to look at? But then again, lots of stuff seemed important enough to examine...

Anyhow, next chapter will be better, and the chapter after that will finally include the long missing Leon, Cloud and Aerith. See you then!


	19. Atlantica

Here's another chapter!

Sorry, this chapter is kinda as bad as the last. Don't worry though, they get better after this. Anyhow, enjoy!

(I still own nothing I tell you. NOTHING!)

"So they had to shut down the Games fer awhile, huh?" Cid said over the monitor. "Well, at least nobody got hurt. You sure Hades and that Will kid ain't gonna try anything there?"

"I don't think so." Sky replied. "I'm sure neither would try to take on Hercules, Greg, Alex _and _Nami all at once. They should be fine till the Games start again."

"Good to know. And Zephyr'll be glad to know Nami's alright."

"So should we head back?"

"Not just yet Kiddo. We got another dark reading from Atlantica."

"Atlantica, Georgia?" Whiskers asked stupidly.

"No, Atlantica. It's one of the worlds Sora went to on his adventures."

"Is everyone okay?" Sky asked concernedly.

"Far as we know. It ain't a very strong reading. Still, I think it'd be worth your while to check it out."

"Will do Gramps."

"Alright then. Good luck to ya." Cid's face disappeared from the monitor.

"So, what's Atlantica like?" Brandy asked.

"I'll bet it's a lost civilization," Said Whiskers. "With highly advanced technology, and strange, mysterious magical secrets, and utopian palaces, and people who can speak any language!"

"You're thinking of Atlantis," Said Sky. "Been there, done that. Atlantica is a world made up of mostly water, and an under sea kingdom."

"Ooh, sounds awesome!"

"Yeah, it'll be nice to visit the beach." Said Brandy. "I so need to work on my tan."

"I'm afraid we won't have time for sunbathing," Sky laughed. "But trust me; this will be an experience you'll never forget."

---

Will stood before Maleficent as she sat in her throne, looking very annoyed.

"So you have yet to acquire Olympus' Gaia?" She asked.

"Hey, you want to blame someone, blame Hades. It was his Minotaur, and he shoulda kept better control of the Heartless."

"Hmm… true. And even so, this does not set our plans back too far. Very well, I have another mission for you."

"Please tell me you're not sticking me with another idiot like Mozenrath or Hades again."

"Actually, I have great expectations from this one." Maleficent rose from her throne and walked over to Will. "Demona is sure to be more successful than the rest. Her hatred for humanity almost matches my own. You will go with her to her own world and assist her in her efforts to defeat its greatest hero."

"And once again, it's up to me to help the helpless I see." Maleficent offered him a cold glare. "Alright, alright, I'm going." Will turned and left the room.

Maleficent held up her hand and Diablo flew to it, perching as usual for her to stroke his feathers.

"Do you honestly trust that boy?" Maleficent didn't need to turn to know that her cloaked associate had entered the room.

"I do not trust anyone," She replied. "Not since I was a child."

"A wise policy. Still, he may _say_ that he wishes to work on the side of darkness, but his heart tells me otherwise…"

Maleficent scoffed. "The heart is a foolish thing. It holds great powers, but is not something one should allow to choose their destiny."

"I believe you speak from experience…?"

Maleficent turned to the cloaked figure and frowned. "Perhaps. But that is the past. As for now, I do not allow my heart to control me as some do."

"Perhaps that is your greatest mistake…" Without another word, the strange figure disappeared, leaving Maleficent alone once again.

---

The sun shone down from a cloudless sky, illuminating the water in a beautiful cascade of light.

The sand on the beach was wet from the ocean's edge, creeping up to shore one minute, then falling back in a constant rhythm.

It was on this beach that a girl now stood. She was a beautiful girl, about sixteen years old. Her hair was dark, and her eyes a shade similar to the ocean itself. She stood barefoot on the beach, staring out at the water with a smile. By far a more pleasant view than the giant wall that had once separated her and the vast, beautiful sea she had come to love so much.

Melody sighed and smiled to think of how much happier she was since those days all those years ago.

She heard the sound of someone walking up and turned to see Sky approaching, waving her hand and smiling. "Melody!" She called happily.

Melody smiled and returned the wave. She and Sky hugged each other and Melody laughed. "Sky, it's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too Melody! Oh, I'd like you to meet my friends." Sky and Melody turned to the dog and rabbit that stood nearby. "Guys, this is Melody, one of my best friends in the entire universe. We've been like sisters ever since we were little."

"Nice to meet you," Said Brandy. "I'm Brandy Harrington, of the Florida Harringtons. And this is Mr. Whiskers. Try to ignore him."

"Trust me; it's not hard to do." Whiskers added.

"Nice to meet you both." Said Melody. "So, what brings you here?"

"I'm afraid it's not something good…" Sky sighed. "We kinda need to talk to Aunt Ariel. And soon."

---

Melody took Sky, Brandy and Whiskers to the castle, where Erik and Ariel, now King and Queen of the kingdom, greeted them happily.

Sky sadly related the situation to them, as they sat together in a comfortable room.

"And that's why we're here." Sky finished with a sigh. "We're hoping we'll find some clues, so we can find Maleficent's castle.

"Sky, I'm so sorry to hear about all of that." Ariel said sympathetically.

"If there's anything we can do, just let us know." Erik added.

"Thanks," Sky replied with a smile. "Actually, we were hoping someone could take us to see King Triton so we can tell him about the dark energy Cid and Tron detected."

"I could take you." Melody suggested. "Please let me Mom, I want to help them."

"Well…" Ariel said hesitantly. "I guess if you were careful. But, how will you get there?"

"Don't worry, Whiskers here can take care of it." Sky answered. "He is the Temporary Court Magician, after all."

"You got that right Sky!" Whiskers said proudly. "Leave it to me!"

"Why do I get the feeling we're all going to die horrible deaths?" Brandy asked with a frown.

"Don't worry," Sky said to Ariel and Erik. "We'll be just fine."

Ariel and Erik looked at each other a moment, then nodded. "Alright," Said Erik. "Just promise you'll all be careful."

Sky, Melody, Brandy and Whiskers nodded affirmatively.

---

Melody led the others back to the beach and stood before the water. "Okay Whiskers," She said. "Do your stuff."

"Stuff?" Whiskers asked. "What stuff?"

"The stuff you said we should leave to you." Brandy explained through gritted teeth. "Honestly, is your brain even working right now!"

Deep inside Whiskers' head, his brain sat up in his bed and said, "Nope, now keep quiet out there! Oy, can't a brain get any sleep!"

"I'm sorry I asked…" Said Brandy, while Sky and Melody blinked in confusion.

"Did his brain just… talk?" Melody whispered.

"I find it best to just not ask." Sky replied.

"But seriously, what am I supposed to do?" Whiskers asked.

"All you need to do is use your magic to help us breath underwater." Sky explained. "Do you think you can do it?"

"Well… I could try… I guess." Whiskers held up his wand. "Here goes nothing…"

Everyone closed their eyes, unable to look around, lest they see something go wrong. Brandy quietly prayed that Whiskers didn't screw up.

Whiskers concentrated a moment, and everyone disappeared from the beach in a flash, and reappeared somewhere else.

"Are we alive…?" Brandy asked fearfully. She pried her eyes open to see they were indeed alive… and underwater!

She looked down to see that she now had a yellow and pink angelfish tail instead of legs, and she wore a half pink half blue top.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" She gasped excitedly. "I'm a mermaid!" She turned to see Sky and Melody. "And so are you two!"

Sky's looked to see her legs had changed into a dolphin's tail, and she wore a light purple seashell top.

Melody's tail was a regular mermaid tail, and her seashell top was yellow.

"Cool!" Said Whiskers. "It actually worked! Ooh, am I a merman?"

Sky, Melody and Brandy turned to look at Whiskers. Unlike them, his entire body had changed, leaving only the head the same. His body now resembled some kind of manatee or sea lion, with orange fur and a green underbelly.

The three girls couldn't help but burst out laughing at his appearance.

Whiskers looked down at his new body and blinked in surprise. "Well… this is awkward…"

Melody finally stopped laughing long enough to speak. "Okay, let's get going."

Melody led the others along, giving them tips on how to swim along the way. Sky caught on fast, as did Brandy, but Whiskers was having a hard time using all four limbs to maneuver.

They soon reached the grand palace of Atlantica and gasped in awe.

"It's so beautiful!" Said Brandy.

"Yeah, but how did they get it to stick to the ceiling like that?" Whiskers asked. Brandy turned to see he had gone upside-down and rotated him to the right angle. "Ooh, that's even prettier!"

Sky stared in wonder at the palace, but frowned when she saw a small creature frantically swimming away from something.

"HELP!" The little crab cried, his voice thick with a Jamaican accent.

"Sebastian!" Melody called as she grabbed the crab. "What's wrong?"

"It's does tings!" Sebastian replied frantically. "Day be attacking de palace! I tried ta swim fer help, but day chased me!"

Sky looked up to see two Screwdriver Heartless swimming towards them. She swam up to them, Keyblade in hand, and met them head-on. She side-swiped one, defeating it with one swing, and stabbed at the other, piercing its chest. Both Heartless disappeared and Sky rejoined the others.

"De King is still inside!" Sebastian shouted. "Day is trying to get de Trident from him!"

"Grandpa's in trouble?" Melody asked worriedly. "We have to help him!"

"Right, let's go!" Said Sky. And they all swam into the palace.

---

In the throne room, King Triton held his mighty Trident up, ready to blast one of the Heartless Screwdrivers and Search Ghosts that surrounded him.

"Hehehe, looks like you're outta luck Old Timer." Pete laughed as he swam behind the Heartless. His head was now on a fat shark body, and it was a wonder he could keep afloat. "Why not hand over that there Trident and I'll call off the Heartless."

"Never!" Triton replied, defiantly. "You will never get your hands on this as long as I live!"

"Suite yerself! Hehehe!"

"Stop!" Pete turned to see Sky and the others swim in. "Let him go!"

"Oh no, not you brats again!"

"Why are you here Pete?"

"Forget it pipsqueak! There ain't no way I'm telling you about Maleficent's plan to bring back Ursula!" Pete grimaced, and could have kicked himself if he'd had legs. "D'oh!"

"Bring back Ursula? There's no way we're letting you do that!"

"Well who says you've got a choice in the matter? Alright Heartless, new plan! Take care of them!"

The Heartless turned to face Sky and the others while Pete high-tailed it out of harms way.

Sky and the others prepared themselves as the Heartless attacked.

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers managed to fight off a few of them, but there were a lot to deal with. Then Sky got an idea.

"Melody!" She called. "I need your help!"

Melody swam to her and the two girls swam at an incredible speed around the Heartless, creating a whirlpool that knocked many of them into each-other, and made the rest dizzy. Sky and Melody then floated side-by-side and simultaneously kicked with their tails, creating a wave that pushed the Heartless into a wall.

But there were still more, and Sky, Melody, Brandy and Whiskers were beginning to tire.

Luckily, a blast of bight energy struck the remaining Heartless, completely obliterating them.

Sky and the others turned to see Triton lower his trident and sit down in his throne with a sigh. "Thank goodness you showed up when you did." He said. "I don't think I would have had the strength to fight them on my own."

"Are you okay Grandpa?" Melody asked concernedly.

"I'm fine." Triton turned to look at Sky. "I see you have the Keyblade."

"Yes Sir." Sky replied. "And I promise, we'll do all we can to stop Pete from bringing Ursula back."

"Good. The last thing we need is for her to return. That villain tried to take the Trident in hopes of using its power, but they will undoubtedly attempt to bring her back even without it. You must go to Ursula's old lair, that is where he will go to attempt the spell."

"Right. Thank you Your Highness." Sky bowed and turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Come on, there's no time to lose!"

---

Sky and the others swam as fast as they could, and soon made it to Ursula's old lair. Whiskers shivered as they approached the mouth of the enormous sea monster's skeleton, which was once the home of the terrible sea-witch.

"This place gives me the creeps…" He said.

"Trust me," Said Sky. "From what my dad told me, it was much worse before he helped defeat Ursula."

"And if she's as bad as her sister was," Melody added. "Then we definitely have to stop that Pete guy from bringing her back."

The four made it to the inner chamber of the lair to find Pete floating over a strange cauldron of sorts.

"Let's see, eye of newt… skin of a sea-serpent… Ah, I hate these stupid spells!"

"Pete!" Sky called. "Stop what you're doing now!"

Pete yelped in surprise and turned around. He just smiled however and laughed. "Too late Punks! I just put in the last ingredient! Alls I gotta do now is dump this here chunk of Ursula's tentacle in and whammo! We got us a villain!" Pete held up a lump of petrified fish meat.

"**EEEWWW!**" Brandy screeched. "**That is beyond gross!**"

"Well, can't argue with ya there. But if you think that's bad, just wait till you see her face! Hehehe!"

"No chance Pete!" Sky shouted. She swam swiftly up to Pete and knocked the chunk out of his fin to land far away from the cauldron.

"Why you little twerp!" Pete fumed. "That's it, no more Mr. Nice Pete!" He charged for her with all his might, but she easily swam out of the way.

Pete swam right into the cauldron, knocking it over and spilling its contents all over the floor.

Suddenly, the entire lair began to shake. "Wh-what in the name of Pete is going on for Pete's sake?" Pete demanded.

"The life potion must have brought this sea-monster back to life!" Sky shouted.

"And we're right in its stomach!" Said Brandy.

"Whew, at least we don't have to go through all that nasty business of being chewed up." Said Whiskers. "Of course, there is the digestion to worry about…"

"You idiot! Swim for your life!"

Sky and the others wasted no time in swimming for the creature's mouth and swam out just as it began to flex its jaws.

The gigantic beast raised itself up off the ocean floor and floated up. Sky and the others looked on in terror at its size.

"Could this get any worse?" Brandy asked.

Suddenly, Heartless swarmed from all over and attacked the monster. It disappeared in a dark cloud and when it reemerged it had undergone a terrible change. Its skin was now dark purple, and its eyes glowed yellow. It grew crab-like claws and tentacles, which must have been a hundred feet long.

Whiskers gasped at the sight of the now Heartless sea monster and turned to frown at Brandy. "If I had been the one that asked that, you would have smacked me by now!"

Brandy just glared at him and slapped him with her tail.

Sky saw the monster swim towards the Palace and an idea hit her.

"Everyone! Hit its eyes!" She ordered, and swam to attack the monster's yellow eyes.

The others did the same, narrowly avoiding its crashing tentacles.

"This is taking too long!" Said Melody. "We'll never wear him down!"

"You guys keep this up!" Said Sky. "I'm going to try attacking from inside."

"The inside, are you crazy?" Brandy demanded. "You're gonna let it eat you?"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Sky replied. She swam towards the monster's mouth and dashed inside, narrowly avoiding its teeth.

Its inside was even uglier than its outside, all kinds of Parasite Heartless growing everywhere. Sky dodged the ones she could, and destroyed the ones that were unavoidable, and finally made it to the monster's core where Ursula's lair used to be. She found the cauldron still there, grown into the Heartless like a vital organ, and somehow knew that it was the creature's weak point.

She attacked it with all her might, using every magic spell she knew, and finally it shattered.

Outside, Melody, Brandy and Whiskers was the creature tremble in pain, and finally disappear I a flash of light. Once they could see well enough, Melody spotted Sky floating nearby.

"Sky!" She called. "Are you okay?"

The three swam over to her and Whiskers used a cure spell on her. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled at her friends. "Yeah…" She replied groggily. "No problem… no problem at all…"

---

Later, Whiskers brought everyone back to the shore and changed them back to normal.

"Looks like Pete's been defeated." Said Sky. "I doubt he'll come back here anytime soon. But if he does, we'll be back to kick his butt again!"

"I wish you didn't have to go." Said Melody. "It's kinda boring around here without you three."

"Don't worry, we'll come back soon."

Melody nodded. "And hopefully, you'll have Uncle Sora and Aunt Kairi with you, along with everyone else."

"Yeah…"

"Oh, and here." Melody handed something to Sky. "I found that yesterday. I'm not sure, but I think it might help you on your journey."

Sky looked at it and saw it was a charm with the number 53 on it. "Thanks Melody! I think this will help!"

"You know Brandy," Said Whiskers. "You should have more faith in me. I mean, I turned us into fish people and back with no problems! And remember when I gave us those cool costumes for Halloween Town? Admit it, my magic is getting better."

"I guess." Brandy admitted. "But just where was that magic when we needed it, like when you stranded me in the rainforest, or all the times we got chased by predators, and maybe when we were getting swallowed up by a big chuck of darkness?"

"Sorry, a magician never reveals his secrets."

Brandy growled and threw Whiskers into the water. The girls laughed as he bobbed out of the water and frowned. "Humph! Some people just can't take a joke!


	20. More Familiar Faces

Hello again! Here is the next chapter, and while it may be short it does re-introduce Cloud, Aerith and Leon into the story. Yay! Anyhow, hope you enjoy.

(Still own nothing but the few characters I thought up.)

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers arrived in Radiant Garden and headed for the Gummi garage. The Gummi ship had taken some damage during a battle in hyperspace, and they decided to have Cid and Jumba take a look.

"Hmm," said Jumba, as he looked at the engine. "I am having good news and bad news for you."

"Give us the bad first," Said Sky. "That way the good news will soften the blow."

"The bad news is, your Gummi ship is in bad shape and will take several days to fix before is safe to pilot. But the good news is, Jumba has even better Gummi ship ready for you to use!"

"How is that good news?" Cid grumbled, as he looked over some charts.

"Is good because my Gummi ship will not be breaking down on them every few minutes!" Jumba retorted. "Unlike a certain someone's…"

"Could we see it?" Whiskers asked excitedly.

"Sorry, but is not quite finished yet. But don't worry, Jumba promises to have finishing touches done before you three take off again."

"Thanks Jumba." Said Sky. She turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Let's go see how the others are doing."

"You'll find 'em over at Merlin's house." Said Cid. "Leo an' Tron're scannin' worlds for ya."

"Thanks for the info Gramps. Okay guys, let's get over there."

---

"We're back!" Sky called cheerfully as she entered the room.

"Hey guys!" Said Yuffie, looking up from watching over Leo's shoulder.

Leo sat at the computer consol, typing in possible coordinates. "Welcome back." He said, without looking up at them.

"Don't mind him," Said Zephyr, as she stood next to Merlin near the computer. "He's just wrapped up in his work."

"Yeah, like father like son." Yuffie giggled.

"I heard that." Everyone turned to see Leon enter, followed by Aerith.

"Uncle Leon, Aunt Aerith!" Sky jumped up and hugged them both. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"We're glad to see you, too Sky." Said Aerith.

"Let me introduce you to my friends," Sky continued. "Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

The two nodded towards Leon and Aerith, who nodded back.

Leo turned and stood up to face his father. "So, how did things go in Port Royal?" He asked.

"Fine," Leon replied. "Thankfully there haven't been any signs of Heartless activity there."

"Mom, where's Dad?" Zephyr asked.

"He's at the Citadel." Aerith replied. "This whole situation with the Heartless returning has him worried, though he won't admit it." She turned to Sky. "He did want to talk to you though Sky. Maybe you should go see him."

Sky nodded. "Okay." She turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Come on, let's get going."

---

The three made it to the Citadel and found Cloud standing alone in the Postern, looking down at the expanses of Radiant Garden.

"Hi Uncle Cloud!" Sky called with a smile. "Meet my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers." She indicated the two next to her. "You wanted to see me?"

Cloud turned to her and briefly returned the smile. "Yes, I did." He said. He turned to look at Brandy and Whiskers for a moment, but returned his gaze to Sky. "So… you have the Keyblade now, right?"

"Uh-huh." Sky answered with a nod.

"I see. Well, from what I hear you've done okay so far. However… there is a lot more danger out there than you realize. Your dad learned that the hard way, just like you may have to. I wanted to give you something to help you along…" Cloud took Sky's hand in his and with his other hand placed a small object into it.

"What is it?" Sky asked.

"It's a Keychain." Cloud explained. "You father was able to use them to enhance the Keyblade's power." Sky looked at it, amazed at its craftsmanship. It was a tiny ninja star attached to a chain. "Go ahead and try it out."

Sky took the regular chain off of the Keyblade and replaced it with the new one. In a flash, the Keyblade changed, now resembling a Katana sword, with a large ninja star forming the key shape. "Whoa…" Sky gazed at the Keyblade, and knew right away that this new form of Keyblade was called Samurai Legacy.

"You should be able to find more Keychains." Cloud continued. "And trust me, they will come in handy."

"Thanks Uncle Cloud." Sky said, replacing the Keyblade's regular chain and carefully putting the Samurai Legacy chain in her pocket.

"And remember one thing Sky." Cloud said, looking up as the stars began to appear. "You're going to find darkness everywhere, so never let your guard down. Believe me when I say it can sneak up on you… even from your own heart."

---

As Will looked down from the tall building at the city below, he couldn't help but be amazed. "I've gotta say," He said. "This world of yours is quite the sight to see."

"Perhaps," Demona replied, as she also looked down at the city. "But unfortunately it is overrun with humans. But all that will soon change, with a little help from the Heartless."

"You really intend to wipe out an entire race just because you happen to dislike them?" Will asked. "No wonder Maleficent likes you so much."

"Silence fool," Demona snarled. "You have no idea what these humans have made me endure!"

"Okay, okay calm down. It's not like I even care. So what's your plan?"

"My plan is simple…" Demona's lips curled into a cruel smile. "We set the Heartless loose on the humans and let them feast on hearts as long as they can until all humans have been reduced to more Heartless for us to control. But to do that, there is one Gargoyle we must eliminate to ensure he does not get in our way… Goliath."


	21. The Protectorate

Another chapter is here! I'm very excited about this one, as I've always wanted to do something involving Gargoyles and Kingdom Hearts. I hope I did okay tho, as this chapter was tough to do.

Anyway, enjoy!

(I only own Sky, and whatever other characters I made up. Everything else is property of Disney, Square-Enix, or both.)

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers landed the Gummi ship and stepped out onto the surface of the world. As always, Cid and Tron had detected dark activity and sent the three off to investigate. But for the first time since Udragoth and Treasure Planet, they had come to a world unfamiliar to Sky.

She looked up in awe at the tall buildings that surrounded them, covered in the shadow of nighttime. "Wow, this place is amazing!" She gasped. "These buildings are even taller than the buildings in Traverse Town!"

"Finally, a nice, normal looking world." Said Brandy. "A regular city with buildings and streets."

"Yeah, but dontcha think it's kinda creepy?" Whiskers asked.

"Oh grow up Whiskers, it's just a little dark, that's all." Brandy replied. "Besides, we've fought monsters, villains, and all kinds of evil, what could there possibly be to be scared of in a city?"

"I don't understand though," Said Sky. "Cid said there was a castle here we should check out. But where are we going to find a castle in a city?"

"We could try there." Whiskers suggested, pointing straight up.

Sky turned and looked at the top of a nearby building and gasped when she saw an enormous castle resting at the top.

"Whoa, now _that _is a penthouse!" Brandy said admiringly.

"Yeah, but it looks suspicious, too." Sky added. "There's definitely something up with that castle."

"Technically, the entire castle itself is _up._" Said Whiskers.

"Whatever. We need to get up there, come on!"

Sky walked in through the front door of the building, followed by Brandy and Whiskers. They saw a group of elevators, but also saw that they were guarded by several security guards.

Sky quickly pulled Brandy and Whiskers behind a group of large potted plants before any of the guards could see them. "How do we get past those guys?" She asked. "They're just ordinary people, so we can't fight them."

"We need a distraction." Brandy suggested.

"Oh, I can do that!" Said Whiskers.

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as my earwax is great for making candles!"

"Whiskers," Said Sky. "No one can make candles out of earwax." Whiskers just grinned and pulled an entire lit candle out of his ear. "Ugh… I didn't need to see that…"

"Get used to it." Brandy grumbled.

Whiskers peaked out from behind the plants and noticed a row of empty chairs on the other side of the room next to a fountain. He took aim with his wand and fired a Firaga spell, catching the chairs on fire.

The guards saw what was happening and rushed to extinguish the flames while Sky, Brandy and Whiskers quickly snuck onto an elevator.

"Nice job Whiskers." Said Sky. "It was pretty smart to catch those chairs on fire."

"Well," Whiskers replied. "To be honest I was aiming for the fountain."

---

The elevator reached the top floor, and Sky, Brandy and Whiskers quietly stepped out, looking around at their surroundings.

They were amazed at just how different it was from the ground level floor. Whereas the ground level was like any modern building looked inside, this floor was like something right out of the dark ages. The walls were made of stone, and had many ancient tapestries hanging on them.

"Whoever owns this place must love the middle ages." Said Brandy. "But what are we supposed to be looking for?"

"Can I help you?" Sky, Brandy and Whiskers jumped in surprise and turned to see a tall man with blond hair standing behind them, an expressionless look on his face.

"Um… yeah, we were… lost." Sky explained. "Yeah, we were part of the…"

"Tour?" Brandy suggested.

"Yeah, the tour, and we got separated from the others and here we are."

"There are no tours in this building today." The man said flatly, adjusting his glasses.

"Oh. Um… then I guess we're in the wrong… building?"

The man just turned down a hallway. "Follow me, please."

"Um… where?" Sky asked.

"You were expected." The man replied.

Sky turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "Should we?"

"I'm not sure we have a choice." Brandy replied.

Sky nodded in agreement and she, Brandy and Whiskers followed the man down the hall.

---

The man brought them into a large office and the all stared in amazement at the window at the far side of the room, which took up nearly the entire wall. From it, you could see the entire city.

Sky gazed out this window at the countless buildings. She looked beyond them at the sea, where she saw an amazing statue of a woman, holding up what looked like a torch. She also saw two bright streams of light, rising up from the ground. They seemed to fill some sort of void, though Sky couldn't tell why she felt that way, or why they were so sad to look at.

"Um, why exactly are we here again?" Sky asked, finally removing her gaze from the window.

"My Employer has been expecting you." The man answered. "He will explain everything."

"Okay, but how could he be expecting us?"

"A very good question." Sky turned to see a man walk in through another door. He was tall and handsome, with brown hair pulled into a ponytail and a short beard on his chin. He was well dressed and very suave-looking, but Sky knew right away there was more to this man than met the eye. He walked to a desk set in front of the window and took a seat behind it. "Thank you for escorting our guests here Owen," He continued. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a word with them."

"Yes Sir," Owen replied with a nod. "If you need anything else I shall be upstairs." He turned and left the room.

"Now then," The man continued, turning to look at Sky. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Xanatos."

"I'm Sky." Sky said politely. "These are my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

"A pleasure to meet you all." Xanatos gave them all a charming smile. "Still, you're not quite what I expected."

"What do you mean? How is it you expected us anyway?"

"I was expecting someone from… out of town, shall we say? And I expected they would be traveling with some… unique friends. Still, I never imagined they'd be a teenage girl and a dog and rabbit who look like they've come from some cartoon show. Still, appearances can often be deceiving, don't you think?"

Sky nodded. "I guess so."

"Anyway, to make a long story short, I know you're not from around here and that you're on a special mission. I'd like to be of assistance."

Sky glanced momentarily at her friends before giving Xanatos a quizzical look. "Wait, how do you know all of this?"

"I'd rather not go into detail just yet." Xanatos replied, getting up from his seat and turning to the window. "Let's just say I have a lot of experience with strange occurrences, and not many interesting things happen in this world without my knowing about them."

"All right, but as long as we're here I could ask you what is going on with your castle. Our mission led us here and I think there might be something important here."

"Could be." Xanatos said with a chuckle. "When I brought this castle over from Scotland I discovered it held many… secrets. Perhaps what you're looking for is here. But as for now I have some business to attend." Xanatos walked to the door. "You're welcome to make yourself at home, look around a bit. But I must warn you… try not to be too surprised at some of the things you find."

Xanatos walked out the door, leaving Sky, Brandy and Whiskers alone.

"He seemed… nice." Said Whiskers.

"Yeah, a little too nice." Sky added. "I'm not sure we should trust him."

"He did say we could look around though." Said Brandy. "I say we have a look."

"What if there are booby-traps?" Whiskers asked.

"Please, you watch too many movies."

"Alright," Said Sky. "We'll look around. But we'd best be careful."

Brandy and Whiskers nodded and they all left the room to explore the castle.

---

After awhile, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers began to feel lost, walking down hallway after hallway, yet finding nothing.

"Maybe this was a bad idea." Said Brandy.

"I think you're right." Sky replied. "We should try and find our way back."

"Um… how are we gonna do that?" Whiskers asked.

"Well… um…" Sky looked around, but couldn't tell which way to go. "I'm... not sure."

"Great? So we're lost?" Brandy asked.

"We're not lost!" Sky answered defensively. "We're just… not sure of where we are."

They all three sighed and hung their heads in typical Sora, Donald and Goofy fashion, but Sky heard something and looked up.

It was some kind of large, dog-like reptilian creature with blue skin. It walked in on all fours and soon noticed Sky, Brandy and Whiskers and began barking.

"Shh! We don't want any trouble!" Sky pleaded. "Down doggy!"

"Please, like that'll work!" Said brandy. "We don't even know if this thing is a- OOPH!" The creature tackled Brandy and began to lick her face. "EEEWWW!.!.!" She howled.

"Oh no!" Whiskers shouted. "It's tasting her!"

Sky suppressed a chuckle. "No Whiskers, I think it likes her."

"Hopefully not with ketchup." Brandy muttered.

Sky looked at the big, blue creature. "Wonder what he is, or why Xanatos has him in his castle." She leaned down to look at its face, and it stopped licking Brandy to return the look. "Hey Boy, can you help us get out of here?" The dog-creature barked excitedly and ran off down a hallway. "Come on, let's follow him!"

"Let's not and say we did." Brandy grumbled, as she stood up and wiped the drool off her face. Sky ignored her and chased after the creature, Whiskers followed close behind. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Brandy sighed and followed slowly.

---

Meanwhile, in Radiant Garden, Leon had called Aerith, Cloud, and Yuffie to an emergency meeting at his house. The four were now in the living room, Aerith and Yuffie on the couch, Cloud leaning against a wall, and Leon pacing the floor.

"Sounds like Sky's done pretty well for herself." Leon said after Yuffie finished filling in all the details he hadn't heard yet. "One thing bothers me though. So far Maleficent has only targeted this so-called 'Gaia' in worlds that Sora visited. Why? She's clearly got a vested interest in all worlds, so why are those specific worlds the only ones she wants to find the Gaia in?"

"Who knows how Maleficent thinks?" Yuffie asked. "For all we know, she could be targeting just those worlds just to make us wonder why."

"I doubt it." Leon replied. "As much as we all hate Maleficent, she is perhaps one of the most cunning villains in the universe. Not to mention the fact that she's survived far more than any other being we've heard of. She has a plan, of that I'm sure."

"It has to involve the Keyblade somehow." Aerith added. "She's never shown this much interest in it before."

Leon nodded in agreement. "She was trying to take it when she kidnapped Sora and the others. But why? She couldn't possibly ever use it."

"Maybe she isn't the one who she expects to use it." Cloud suggested. "Like you say Leon, she's no fool. She knows she can't use the Keyblade herself, so maybe she has someone who can use it."

"But who?" Yuffie asked. "The only people I've ever heard of able to use the Keyblade are Sora and Sky."

"Not completely true. Sora and Sky are the ones able to use the Kingdom Key, but the King and Riku have Keyblades of their own. Not to mention Kairi was able to use one. And though none of us were around at that time, there used to be thousands of Keybearers."

"But where would Maleficent find a Keybearer?" Leon asked. "More importantly… where would she find one willing to work for her? And what would she do if she had a Keybearer?"

---

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers followed the creature through the castle until they came to the roof, where they could see the city for miles around.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Said Sky. She patted the creature on the head. "Good boy." The creature panted happily.

"But what did it lead us here for?" Brandy asked. "And better still, what is he?"

Sky heard a swooping sound behind her, followed by the sound of something landing on the stone. She gulped when she saw a huge shadow fall over her, cast by the moonlight. "A better question might be: Who are you?" Sky heard the deep voice behind her and slowly turned to see a large creature towering over her. It had human like features, but purple-ish skin and reptilian feet and a tail, and two bat wings growing from its back.

Sky jumped back, intimidated by the creature's size, and gulped nervously. "Um, hi there." She said in a shaky voice. "I'm Sky. And these are my friends, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers. We're here on an important mission. So, uh, who are you?"

The creature folded his wings over his shoulders, like a cape. "I am called Goliath." He answered. "And I am this castle's protector."

"Protector? Then maybe you can help us. We're looking for something."

"What?"

Sky thought for a moment but sighed. "I'm… not really sure. But I know there is something important going on here."

Suddenly, a large explosion shook the castle, and all eyes turned to see a cloud of smoke rise from a nearby turret.

"Guess you were right Sky!" Said Whiskers.

Goliath turned and frowned down at Sky. "What is going on here?" He demanded.

"I'm not sure." Sky replied. "But it might be creatures called Heartless. We can help you fight them."

Goliath turned back to the cloud of smoke and nodded. "Very well. Come with me!" He ran off towards the scene of the explosion, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers right behind him.

They reached the turret in question to find several Soldier and Wyvern Heartless attacking a group of creatures like Goliath. These creatures were doing well for themselves, but they weren't a match for the Heartless.

"Are these the things you spoke of?" Goliath asked.

"Yep, that's them alright." Sky replied. The Keyblade appeared in her hands and she readied herself.

"Very well." Goliath spread his wings and lunged into battle, followed by Sky, Brandy and Whiskers.

Goliath attacked a nearby Wyvern with his claws, slicing through the Heartless as though it was made of paper. Several Soldiers tried to attack from behind, but he just swiped them away with his tail.

Sky, meanwhile, sliced away at the Heartless, but they wouldn't let up. "Time for a change of Keyblades." She said, as she exchanged the Keychain for the one Cloud gave her. The Keyblade transformed into Samurai Legacy, and she could feel it infuse her strength, making her faster, more agile, and more accurate. She attacked again, this time cutting through the Heartless in half the time.

Soon, the Heartless were vanquished. One of the creatures, with red skin and a strange beak-like face, gave a victory cry. "All right! We showed them!" He cheered.

"Yeah, just barely." Another one commented, this one small, green, and with an odd web between his leg and arm on either side for wings. "Thanks to Goliath."

"Not just him," A female with blue skin said, turning to Sky, Brandy and Whiskers. "Looks like we have company."

"Who're they?" An older creature with a beard and pot belly asked Goliath in a Scottish accent.

"I believe they are friends." Goliath answered. He turned to Sky and gave her a friendly grin. "You fought well."

"Thanks," Sky replied, blushing modestly. "I try my best."

"You have an interesting weapon there Lass," The old one said. "It looks something like a key."

Sky held up the Keyblade, now returned to its true form. "Yup, that's the Keyblade. Um, I hope I'm not being rude, but what are you guys?"

"We are called Gargoyles." Goliath explained. "Our clan has protected this castle for over a thousand years…"

---

From her secluded house, Demona watched the image of Sky and Goliath fighting the Heartless. She had sent a special spy cam to monitor the Heartless she sent, and was not pleased with what she saw.

"Those cursed Heartless are useless!" She hissed. "No wonder Maleficent has never succeeded!"

"If you're so sure that her plans are doomed to failure, why work with her?" Will asked from the other side of the room, as he stood alone in the shadows.

"Did I ask your opinion?"

"No, but I gave it anyway. Consider it a gift."

Demona sighed in annoyance. She turned back to the screen and watched the footage again. "That girl must have some weakness. There must be something that can keep her from fighting the Heartless."

"There is." Will moved over to Demona's chair and leaned against it. "And I know exactly what it is…"

Demona looked up at Will, intrigue written on her face.

---

At the Castle, Goliath had explained to Sky about how the Gargoyles had been betrayed, and he and his clan had been cursed to stay frozen in stone for a thousand years. He told her that when Xanatos had had the castle brought here from a far off place, the spell had been broken and The Gargoyles awoke in a strange new place. It was here they had lived ever since, defending the city no matter what.

It was then that Sky told her own story, about what had happened to her family and that she had to find Maleficent's castle.

"So, you are from another world?" Goliath asked, once Sky had finished.

"That's right." She replied. "And we're here because we detected dark energy in this world, and think Maleficent may have something to do with it."

"I've heard my share of tales," Said Hudson, the old Gargoyle, as he stroked his beard. "But none to top this."

"So," Sky continued. "Is there anyone here who might be working with Maleficent?"

"Sure, there's lots." Broadway, a large blue Gargoyle, replied. "There's Macbeth, Tony Dracon…"

"Jackal and Hyena, Savarius…" Lexington, the littlest Gargoyle, added.

"And don't forget Demona." Said Brooklyn, the red Gargoyle. "I'd be willing to bet she has something to do with this."

"Not to mention all our other enemies." Angela, the female, said.

"My, aren't you guys popular." Said Brandy.

Sky gave Brandy a scolding glare, and then turned to Goliath. "Is there any way we could narrow down the search?"

"Perhaps," Goliath replied. "But that will have to wait."

"How come?"

"Dawn is coming. We must sleep during the day."

"Sleep?"

"You'll see. Will you be alright until sundown?"

"I suppose. Maybe we can learn a little more from that Xanatos guy."

Goliath nodded. "But be careful. Xanatos is our ally, but that doesn't mean he won't take any opportunity he sees to further his own gain." Goliath and the other Gargoyles walked away and took their positions on different battlements, facing the city below.

Sky, still confused, watched with Brandy and Whiskers as the Gargoyles took different poses, each looking ready to fight any invaders. The sun slowly began to rise over the horizon, bathing the city in warm light, and Sky gasped when she saw the Gargoyles change to stone before her eyes.

She slowly approached Goliath, sitting in a thinking pose, and tapped his shoulder to see if he really was stone. "Wow…" She said.

"It takes some getting used to," Sky turned to see Xanatos walk up, Owen close behind. "But all in all, it's an amazing sight. Though nothing compared to when they wake up."

"Are you gonna give us some answers here Mr. Xanatos?" Sky asked, trying to stay polite.

"All in good time my dear." Xanatos replied. "Meanwhile, I'm late for breakfast with my wife and son. If you and your friends would like something to eat, or perhaps someplace to rest, just ask Owen here." Xanatos bowed slightly and walked away.

"What now Sky?" Brandy asked.

"Now…" Sky replied. "…I guess we wait for nightfall."


	22. Defenders of The Night

At long last, Ihave returned with another update! Hooray!

You would not beleive the writer's block I had on this. Oh well. Enjoy!

(I only own the characters I thought up. And they are easy to spot, trust me.)

_Sora heard a voice outside the cave and smiled. "I guess Riku and Hanna are here. Let's go say hi, okay Sky?"_

"_No," Sky replied. "Koji will be with them, and I'm mad at him."_

"_What for?" Kairi asked. "I thought you and Koji always had fun playing together."_

"_We used to. But then he called me a stupid girl."_

_Kairi sighed. "That's Riku's son for you. I'm sure he didn't mean it Dear."_

"_Yeah, just give him a chance." Sora added._

_Sky puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms._

_Sora sighed. "Fine. Then if you won't, I'll just make you."_

"_Aww Dad…" Sky whined as Sora led her out of the cave._

_Outside they saw Riku and Hanna, standing on the beach._

"_Hey!" Riku called. Koji stood behind him. He was about six years old, and wore a dark blue sleeveless shirt and black pants._

"_Glad you could make it," Said Sora, once they were all standing together. "Wouldn't have been much fun without you guys."_

"_We wouldn't miss it." Hanna said with a smile. "And besides, Koji here has something he wants to say."_

_Riku stepped aside and gently nudged Koji forward to face Sky. Sky reluctantly faced him as well, a frown on her face._

"_Go ahead Koji…" Said Riku._

_Koji hesitated a moment before finally mumbling "I'm… sorry I called you stupid." Sky's frown started to fade, though she still didn't look happy._

"_Isn't there something you should say now Sky?" Kairi asked, in a typical motherly fashion. _

_Sky grumbled a moment before saying "Apology accepted…"_

"_There now," Said Sora. "I knew you guys couldn't stay mad at each other forever. Now why don't you guys go have some fun?"_

_Sky's face lit up, as an idea came to her, and she grabbed Koji's hand. "C'mon!" She said, all traces of her anger completely vanishing. "I wanna show you something cool!"_

_Sky pulled Koji away, and led him back to the cave…_

---

Sky awoke from her dream to the sound of Brandy and Whiskers calling her name softly.

"Huh? What?" She mumbled as she sat up.

"It's almost sundown." Brandy explained. "We should head to the roof now."

"Oh, right. Okay." Sky yawned a little and stretched her arms before standing up from the bed she'd been sleeping in. "Though I wish I'd had a little more sleep."

"Sure was nice of Mr. Xanatos to let us rest in this nice guestroom, huh?" Whiskers asked, looking around at the well decorated room, where they each had been given a comfortable bed to rest in during the day.

"Sure, nice." Sky's voice held more than a little sarcasm. "I still don't get this Xanatos guy. He knows more than he's letting on, I know it."

"But the Gargoyles seem to trust him." Brandy added.

"Maybe… but I don't. Come on, let's get to the roof. Maybe when Goliath wakes up he can fill us in some more."

---

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers arrived at the roof to see Xanatos standing some distance away from the Gargoyles, who were still frozen in stone.

"Glad you could make it," He said. "I trust you had a good rest?"

"Yeah, thanks." Sky replied. "So, um, just when should they wake up?"

"And how?" Whiskers asked.

"Any moment now," Xanatos replied, turning to see the sun sinking below the horizon. "And it will be quite the sight, I assure you."

They all waited, watching the sunset, until finally night had fallen. Suddenly, the stone skin on each of the Gargoyles began to crack and chip away, like eggshells, and the creatures began to move. Finally, they all stood up and burst from their stone shells, coming to life with a roar.

Sky became awestruck at the sight. To anyone that didn't know the Gargoyles, this would have been a moment terrifying enough to stop one's heart. But to her, it was simply amazing.

"Wow…" She gasped.

"No kidding…" Brandy and Whiskers said at once.

The Gargoyles, now completely awake, began to stretch and yawn, like any other animal that was just waking up. Goliath jumped from his spot and approached Sky.

"Good morning." She said. "Er… or is it good night? Anyway, what's the plan?"

"We need to find out who it is that's controlling the Heartless," Goliath replied. "So we should all search the city for anything suspicious." He turned to the rest of his clan. "We'll separate to cover the entire city. Brooklyn, you will take Broadway and Lexington and search downtown. Hudson, take Angela and Bronx and search the park. I will accompany Sky and her friends."

The other Gargoyles agreed and moved to the edge of the roof. They each spread their wings and jumped- Hudson carrying Bronx -and the wind carried them away.

"Wow, I wish we could do that." Said Whiskers.

"We'll have to go on foot." Said Sky.

Goliath nodded in agreement. "I will stay close, in case you need my help." Sky nodded back, and Goliath jumped from the roof to glide away. Sky, Brandy and Whiskers ran to find the elevator to get to the ground floor, leaving Xanatos alone.

---

Sky, Brandy and Whiskers walked down the streets of the city, following Goliath as he glided above, stopping every now and then on a rooftop to allow the trio to catch up.

There were a few other people out in the streets, all of whom turned and gave Brandy and Whiskers funny looks. Obviously they weren't used to seeing a dog and rabbit wearing clothes and walking on their hind legs.

"Nice costumes!" Someone said sarcastically, as he passed them on the street. "But isn't it a little early for Halloween? Ha!"

"Costumes?" Whiskers asked. "What'd he mean by that?"

"I think we'd best try and avoid contact with anyone." Said Sky. "No offense, but you two are getting a lot of unwanted attention."

"Whiskers has that effect on people." Brandy muttered.

"Hey," Said Whiskers, pointing up. "I think Goliath is landing."

Sky looked up and sure enough she saw Goliath descend from the air. He landed on a roof near an alley, and Sky decided to enter it and see what was up. "Come on guys!" She said to Brandy and Whiskers, as she headed to the alley.

Once there, the trio found that Goliath had climbed down to meet them. "Did you find something?" Sky asked.

Goliath shook his head. "No. Everything seems quiet. But… that's what worries me."

"What do you mean?" Brandy asked.

"The city has never been this quiet before. Something is wrong."

"You mean like the calm before the storm?" Said Whiskers. Goliath nodded.

Suddenly, the Keyblade appeared in Sky's hand, and she heard someone scream in terror. "Looks like you were right Goliath!" She said.

Sky and the others rushed out of the alley and saw people running from a swarm of Heartless. There were a few Shadows, and a couple of Wyvern.

Wasting no time, Sky jumped into battle, followed by the others.

Whiskers cast a Gravity spell on a few of the shadows, squashing them like bugs, and finished them off with Thundaga.

Brandy rushed into another Heartless with her shield and knocked it down, but soon became surrounded by the creatures.

"Whiskers!" She called out. "I could use some help!"

Whiskers, upon hearing Brandy's cry for help, didn't hesitate to jump into the midst of the Heartless with her. The two stood back-to-back in the middle of the Heartless crowd, glaring at the creatures defiantly.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Brandy asked with a grin.

"Possibly…" Whiskers replied, as a picture of a cooked ham popped into his mind.

"No Whiskers… I mean about fighting the Heartless?"

"Oh, right! Alright Heartless, prepare to fall before the awesome might of my lower body strength!"

Whiskers and Brandy locked arms together, and Brandy lifted Whiskers up and spun around. The Heartless advanced, but were kicked away by Whiskers, then he got to his feet and lifted Brandy up, and she kicked away the rest of the Heartless.

Brandy and Whiskers let go of each other and observed their work.

"Oh yeah," Brandy said proudly. "We so rock."

Meanwhile, Sky sliced away at the Shadow Heartless with the Keyblade, while Goliath glided through the air, battling the Wyvern.

Sky, beginning to feel overwhelmed, decided now was the time for some extra help and pulled out the summon charm with the number 53 on it.

The charm glowed brightly, and Sky heard the sound of honking nearby. She turned around and suddenly saw a little Volkswagen drive up, running over as many Heartless as it could.

The car drove up to Sky and the driver-side door opened for her. The Volkswagen was white, with two stripes painted on it going from front to back, and the number 53 on the hood and doors. Its bumper seemed to curve into what Sky could swear was a smile.

Sky got inside and sat in the driver's seat. "Okay Herbie," She said, placing her hands on the steering wheel. "I don't even have my permit yet, so you'll have to take care of the driving."

Herbie beeped in reply and took off, running down every Heartless in his path.

Herbie stopped and turned to face the remainder of the Shadows and beeped at Sky.

"Yeah Herbie," She replied. "Let's take 'em down!" Sky got out of the driver's seat and hopped onto the hood, holding the Keyblade out.

Herbie drove right into the Heartless swarm, while Sky struck them with the Keyblade. By the time they were done, all the Heartless had fallen.

Meanwhile, Brandy and Whiskers had defeated their share of Heartless as well and walked over to Sky and Herbie.

"Wow that was awesome!" Whiskers cheered.

"Yeah," Sky agreed, turning to the little VW. "Thanks for your help Herbie."

Herbie beeped something that sounded like "You're welcome" and disappeared back to his own world.

Goliath, after defeating the last Wyvern, landed on the ground and noticed a car driving up.

"Goliath, I think you'd better hide before they see you." Said Sky.

Goliath, recognizing the car, shook his head. "That won't be necessary." He said.

The car pulled up and a woman with dark hair wearing a red jacket got out. "Goliath, is everything okay?" She asked the Gargoyle. "There have been all kinds of calls coming in about strange creatures attacking people."

"It's all right for now." Goliath replied. "We managed to stop them before they could hurt anyone." Goliath turned to Sky, Brandy and Whiskers. "This is Detective Elisa Maza. She is a friend to our clan."

"Nice to meet you." Said Sky. "My name is Sky, and these are my friends Brandy and Mr. Whiskers."

Elisa looked at Sky, then at Brandy and Whiskers. "I take it you're not from around here?" She asked, only slightly surprised to see a dog and bunny wearing clothes and walking on their hind legs.

"Yeah, you could say that." Sky replied.

"Hate to interrupt these introductions…" Sky, recognizing the voice, turned to see Will, standing a short distance away. "…But I have a message for you Sky. And you too Goliath."

"Who are you?" Goliath asked.

"He's one of our enemies." Sky answered. "I should have guessed he'd be here!"

"Is that any way to talk?" Will asked. "Especially since I've come here to give you an offer."

"Well if it's for a subscription to Aardvark Magazine, then forget it!" Whiskers shouted. Brandy promptly smacked him.

Ignoring Whiskers, Will continued. "I was sent here by an old friend of yours, Goliath. I'm sure you remember Demona."

"Demona," Goliath growled. "I should have known it was her!"

"Yeah, you should have. But anyway, she's told me to give you this message: She wants you, Sky and her friends to meet her in the park in one hour, and come alone. If you don't, she'll use the Heartless to destroy the other Gargoyles when the sun comes up. See you then." A dark portal appeared behind him, and he stepped back into it, disappearing.

"Okay, that guy so totally gets on my nerves!" Said Brandy.

Elisa turned to Goliath with a concerned look on her face. "You're not honestly thinking of going along with this, are you?" She asked.

"What choice do we have?" Goliath replied. "These Heartless can appear from the shadows themselves. As long as Demona is controlling them, we Gargoyles are vulnerable during the day. If we were to be destroyed, Demona's victory would be assured."

"I agree." Said Sky. "But judging from what I've heard of this Demona, and from what I know about Will, I don't think we should just go in without a backup plan."

Goliath nodded. "Then let us return to the Castle and inform the others of what is going on."

The others agreed, and they all headed back to the castle.

---

"Did you deliver the message?" Demona asked as Will appeared in front of her. They were both standing in the park near a pond.

"Yes, just as you told me." Will replied. "Soon, Sky and Goliath will arrive and fall into our trap. Maleficent will get the Keyblade, I'll get my freedom… and you'll get your revenge."

Demona laughed. "Excellent. Perhaps you are more useful than I gave you credit for."

"Ignoring that little comment," Will continued. "Let me ask you this: Even if you do have Goliath, do you think the other Gargoyles will just let you win?"

"Those fools are of little consequence to me." Demona turned to look at her reflection in the pool nearby. "As long as I have their precious leader, they won't dare try and stop me. And if they do, I'll simply crush them."

Will paused a moment. "Even your daughter?" Demona turned with a growl to face him. "You know she won't let you get away with kidnapping her father, or threatening the city she's come to love."

Demona just growled again and turned away. "Just get into position."

Will just shrugged his shoulders and turned to walk away. _What am I doing? _He thought. _She's as crazy as the rest of them. I hope my freedom will be worth all of this…_

---

after they had returned to the castle and the others returned, Goliath gathered everyone into Xanatos' office and told them what they had learned.

"I knew it had to be Demona!" Brooklyn growled. "This is just the kind of thing she'd pull!"

"Aye," Said Hudson, as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "But what exactly is she planning?"

"She's working with an evil witch named Maleficent." Sky explained. "Her goal is to take control of all worlds in existence, including this one. So she's allied herself with Demona, who wants the same thing."

"How do they plan to do it though?" Elisa asked. "That guy she sent said she only wanted Goliath, Sky and her friends. It doesn't make sense."

"I believe I may have the answer to that." All heads turned to face Xanatos, who sat at his desk with a thoughtful look on his face. "As I understand it, there are several worlds throughout the universe, and each one is more unique than the next. So too are its inhabitants. This Maleficent seems to find certain individuals from different worlds to aid her in her cause. But for each of these individuals who share Maleficent's ambition there is always someone to oppose them, and these individuals are always the ones to prevail. By now Maleficent has figured this fact out and she and Demona wish to eliminate the one person they see as the biggest threat to their plans: Goliath."

Everyone looked at each-other, slightly confused by Xanatos' words.

"As for Sky," Xanatos continued. "It's obvious they want the Keyblade."

"Wait…" Said Sky. "Just how do _you _know about all of this?"

Xanatos stood up from his chair and turned to look out the window. "It's simple. I was offered the same position Demona now holds."

Everyone gasped in surprise, and Sky frowned in anger. "You mean you almost joined Maleficent?!"

"I would have told you this sooner," Xanatos continued, turning to face Sky. "However I was afraid of how you would react."

"Oh gee, I wonder why!"

"Calm down, please. Maleficent did come to me asking for my assistance in her plans, but I of course turned her down."

"I seem to remember a time you would have gladly accepted such an offer." Said Goliath.

"A lot can change with time." Xanatos replied. "Even people's hearts."

Sky still glared angrily at Xanatos, but decided not to further the point. "So what now?" She asked.

"Now we must confront Demona." Goliath answered. "I will go to the park and bring her out of hiding."

"But that's too dangerous." Elisa protested. "You can't just walk into her trap."

"Aye Lad." Said Hudson. "Perhaps ye should reconsider?"

"There's no other choice old friend." Goliath said, then turned to Sky, Brandy and Whiskers. "However, I will not ask you three to come along."

"You don't have to." Sky replied. "Demona may have information on Maleficent's whereabouts, or at least we can stop Will once and for all. Besides, we don't let our friends go into battle without backup."

Goliath smiled and nodded. "Very well."

"I still think you're going to need more backup." Said Elisa. "We should use our communicators to stay in touch, in case you need help."

"Yeah," Brooklyn agreed. "If you guys get in over your heads, just give us a call."

Goliath nodded in agreement to the plan. "Then it's settled. Sky, Brandy, Whiskers, let's get to the park. Brooklyn, you and the others stay close, but do not let yourselves be seen, and wait for our signal."

The others agreed and everyone left the office, except for Xanatos and Owen.

"They certainly are determined." Said Owen.

"Indeed they are." Xanatos agreed. "And it's a good thing, too. They'll have to be to save the world. Although it's unfortunate that we can't do more to help." Just then, an idea struck Xanatos and he turned to Owen. "Think you could do me a favor Owen?" He asked.

"Of course Sir." Owen replied.

"Follow Goliath and the girl; make sure they don't get in too much trouble?"

Owen shook his head. "Sir, you know the rules as well as I do."

"As I remember, the rules say you can't use your powers except whenever you're training or protecting Alex. These Heartless are as much a threat to him as anyone else, aren't they?"

Owen thought about this for a moment before smiling mischievously. "I believe you are correct Sir."

---

Some time after, Goliath, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers arrived in the park, which was now dark and empty. Goliath picked up a small microphone that hung from his neck and spoke into it. "We've arrived, but there is no sign of Demona or the Heartless." He said.

"Okay, just be careful." Elisa's voice came from a pair of small headphones in Goliath's ears. "No telling what She's got planned."

Goliath turned to Sky, and nodded, indicating they were ready to proceed.

The four cautiously walked through the park, careful of every shadow they saw.

Whiskers, out of fear, stuck close to Brandy. Brandy, being just as afraid, didn't even bother to mind.

Sky looked around and was amazed at just how ominous something as harmless as a few trees could look in such a situation. She pushed these thoughts away, however, when she heard a sound nearby and stopped to peer into the shadows from where the sound came, not realizing that Goliath, Brandy and Whiskers were continuing on without her.

Sky looked for a moment more, but decided it was just her imagination and turned to continue. But when she couldn't find Goliath, Brandy or Whiskers anywhere her heart skipped a beat.

"Goliath?" She called in a soft voice, afraid to speak too loud. "Brandy? Where are you?"

"Aw, are you lost?" Sky turned swiftly around and was suddenly blinded by bright lights. Will laughed as he jumped down from the tree where he had been hiding, and looked at Sky like a wolf looking at its prey. "Now that's just too bad."

Once her eyes adjusted to the light from the lamps surrounding the area, Sky glared at Will. "So, this was your big plan?" She asked. "Separate us, and hope you can pick us off one by one?"

"Not quite." Will replied. "The plan, actually, was to trap Goliath, and use him as a shield against the other Gargoyles, so that Demona can take control of this world. As for you… Maleficent has decided now is the time for me to take the Keyblade from you, once and for all."

"Yeah, in your dreams!" Sky shouted. The Keyblade appeared in her hands, and she took a battle-ready pose. "You want this Keyblade? You're gonna have to take it over my dead body!"

Will chuckled cruelly, and flexed his hands to show off his claws. "That, my dear Sky… is my plan exactly!"

Will pounced on Sky, but she did a back flip and narrowly avoided him. Once she was back on her feet, she ran at him and swung the Keyblade with all her might, but Will just caught in his hands. The two were now locked together, each pushing against the other.

"Poor little Sky…" Said Will, the strain in his voice easy to spot. "Fighting so hard, but all for nothing."

"What… what are you talking about?" Sky asked, also sounding strained.

"You think you can save your family? You're wrong. Maleficent has them all frozen like living statues, deep inside her castle. And try as you might, you'll never find it."

"Shut up! I will find them!" Sky gasped when she felt herself give way an inch.

"Don't be too sure of that. Maybe if you were your dad you might've had a chance… but you're just a wannabe Keybearer, playing make-believe because her daddy's gone."

"Stop it…" Sky felt herself going farther and farther back.

"But that's not even the worst part. The worst part is how you've held onto your silly little hopes of ever seeing your dear Koji again." Sky gritted her teeth, as she tried her best to push against Will. "But I have some bad news Sky… Maleficent had her Heartless search all over after Destiny Islands was lost."

"Stop… stop it now…!"

"And there was no sign of Koji. He's gone Sky."

Sky's heart suddenly stopped, and her strength gave out, giving Will the opportunity he needed to push the Keyblade away and backhand Sky in the face.

Sky fell to the ground and couldn't get up at first. Slowly she got to a sitting position and leaned against a nearby tree. She reached up and felt blood running down her chin from her lip.

"Aw, did I strike a chord?" Will asked. "I guess it's hard to know the truth. Hard to realize your family is gone." Strangely, Will had a small hint of sympathy in his voice. "But at least you had them for awhile before you lost them. At least they wanted to stick around for you. Imagine how much worse it is to have a father who is alive and well, and you lose him anyway." He clenched his fist and his voice became hard and cruel again. "No… no, you can't imagine that, can you? But don't worry Sky; I'm still capable of sympathy." He held out his hand. "Give me the Keyblade and this will all be over…"

Suddenly, Sky looked up at Will and she growled. Her eyes became bright yellow, and she jumped up, swatting away Will's hand with the Keyblade. She then pointed the Keyblade at him and a spear made of dark energy shout out, hitting Will and grazing the side of his abdomen.

They both fell to their knees, Will from the pain and Sky from sudden exhaustion.

Sky's eyes returned to normal, and she tried desperately to catch her breath. "What… was that?" She gasped.

Will, holding his side to keep the bleeding down, looked over at Sky in shock. "A… a dark sp-spell…?" He asked. He slowly got to his feet and a dark portal appeared behind him. "I think… maybe it's time to re-think things…" Will staggered back and disappeared into the dark portal.

Sky tried to stand up, but fell back down on her hands and knees and she pounded the ground in frustration.

Just then, Whiskers came running up, followed closely by Brandy and Goliath.

"Sky! What happened?" Brandy asked worriedly, as she and Whiskers knelt down next to her. "Quick Whiskers, heal her!"

Whiskers hurriedly used Curaga on her, and Sky leaned back against a tree. She felt better physically… but her mind was another matter.

"What happened?" Whiskers asked. "We noticed you weren't with us, but when we heard the noises and tried to get to you there was a barrier."

Sky didn't answer. Instead she put her face in her hands and began crying. "It's hopeless…" she sobbed.

"What?" Brandy asked. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll never find them. I'll never save my family. I've let them down…" Sky broke down sobbing uncontrollably.

But then, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Goliath kneeling next to her, looking at her with a sympathetic expression. "Don't talk like that." He said, gently. "You will find your family, and you will save them."

"How can you be so sure?" Sky asked. "How do you know it isn't too late?"

"Because you can never give up on your family. A thousand years ago, most of my clan was betrayed and destroyed in a single day. All of my rookery brothers and sisters were killed, and what little of my clan that survived had been turned to stone by a spell. But I did not give up. No one should ever give up as long as they live, especially when they fight for the ones they love."

Sky thought about what Goliath had said for a moment and dried her eyes. "Yeah…" She said, with a sniffle. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks Goliath…" Goliath helped Sky to her feet and she gave everyone a small smile. "Sorry for breaking down like that…"

"Don't worry about it." Said Brandy. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine… thanks." Sky looked out towards the deeper parts of the park. "We've got to hurry up and get to Demona. The sooner we stop her, the better!"

But just then, several Heartless appeared out of nowhere, and were about to ambush Sky and the others. The group noticed the Heartless and were about to defend themselves, but suddenly, the creatures disappeared in a flash of light.

"What was that?" Brandy asked.

Sky didn't have an answer. She stared in amazement at where the Heartless had been.

"Honestly, do I have to do everything for you mortals?" Everyone turned to find the source of the voice and saw a strange man with long white hair and long pointed ears standing in a nearby tree. "I mean, for crying out loud, you didn't think Demona would have more than the teen wolf waiting for you?"

Goliath frowned at the newcomer. "What are you doing here Puck?" He asked.

"I was asked to keep an eye on the lot of you." Puck replied, jumping from the branch to float to the ground. "And it's a good thing, too, or you would have been a 'hearty' buffet for those nasty little creatures."

"Who… or what are you?" Sky asked.

"Why I'm none other than the magnificent trickster, Puck! Favorite servant of the mighty Oberon. Or… at least I used to be. But we've already met."

"We have?" Whiskers asked. "I don't remember meeting you before. Hmm… wait, have you ever been in a zoo in Paraguay?"

"Where exactly did we meet?" Sky asked, ignoring Whiskers.

"Don't you recall?" Puck asked, seemingly offended. "Why, I was the first person you met in this world!"

"Wait, that's not possible." Said Brandy. "Because the first person we met in this world was…" Suddenly, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers flashed back to when they snuck into the castle and Owen escorted them to Xanatos' office. Brandy's jaw fell open as the realization came to her. "Wait… is that possible?"

"It can't be…" Said Sky, just as shocked. "Owen?!"

"Aha! The girl can be taught!" Puck declared triumphantly.

"But… how…?" Sky asked, as she pictured the tall, serious looking Owen side-by-side with the impish character before her.

"It's a long story." Goliath sighed. "_Very _long."

"Indeed it is." Puck continued, as he crossed his legs and floated in mid-air. "Anyway, down to business. You're all on your way to confront Demona, right?" Sky, Brandy and Whiskers nodded. "Well, then perhaps I can be of some assistance. However, I can't help you too much. You see, it's forbidden for me to _directly_ interfere with mortals, no matter what world they come from or what weapons they wield. Even the Keyblade."

"But didn't you just destroy those Heartless?" Whiskers asked.

Puck Shook his head and smiled, like one would do with a child that just asked a foolish question. "Yes, I did, but that wasn't necessarily to do with you, now was it? I merely saw a few Heartless and decided to get rid of them, which just happened to help you out. Is it all clear to you now, my smelly friend?" Whiskers, in reply, just held his head and groaned as though he were in pain. "I thought so."

"If you're not going to directly help us," Goliath said, sounding slightly irritated by Puck's inability to stay on subject. "Then what do you plan to do?"

"Well for one thing," Puck replied, getting back to his feet. "I can tell you that Demona is now at the center of the park and has a big surprise awaiting you. And for another, I happen to have a gift." Puck waved his hand and an emerald ring appeared on Sky's finger. Also, Whiskers' wristband was replaced by a new one, this one golden with silver runes written into it. And Brandy's silver belt was switched with a ruby colored one, with a buckle resembling a knight's helmet attached to it.

"Wow, this is so cute!" Brandy exclaimed.

"Thank you," Said Puck. "But I didn't give them to you for fashion reasons. They are meant to boost your skills and strengths. I'm guessing your father used these on occasion, am I right Sky?"

Sky, after admiring her ring for a moment, looked up at Puck in confusion. "You knew my dad?" She asked.

"Only by reputation. But enough of that, I'm sure you'll be wanting to go find Demona and save the day… or night, rather."

Sky nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. Thanks Puck."

"Don't mention it! It was my pleasure. Catch you all later… I hope." Suddenly, Puck disappeared from sight.

After a moment's pause, Sky shook her head. "You'd think just once one of these magical beings would just walk away like normal people." She said. "Oh well. Come on, let's go find Demona!"

---

Will walked out of the dark portal and found himself standing before Maleficent, sitting in her throne.

"What happened?" She asked, more out of frustration than worry.

"Sky…" Will replied, still holding his injured side. "She… she used a dark spell…"

Maleficent leaned forward, intrigued by this news. "A dark spell? How very interesting…"

"You're not mad that I didn't defeat her yet?"

"No. Your failure was a minimal one, and has led to an intriguing discovery. One that may help us in the future. Now go, attend to your wound. I have another mission for you, should Demona fail…" Will just grunted in reply and walked away.

Maleficent laughed to herself, as a plan formed in her mind. "A dark spell…" She said with a smile. "This changes everything…"


	23. Jalapeno, what a night

Whoa, another update?! Sweet! Let's hope this gets to be a habit with me.

Anyhow, this will be the last Gargoyles-word chapter, I'm afraid. But, I guess all good things must come to an end. At least there are some pleasant surprises in here!

So, without further ado, enjoy the newest chapter!

(I still own nothing... please feel free to pitty me...)

Sky, Goliath, Brandy and Whiskers ventured deeper into the shadowy park, every moment waiting for Demona's trap to be sprung.

As Goliath took the lead, and Whiskers brought up the rear, Brandy turned concernedly to Sky. "So, what exactly did happen back there?" She asked. "I mean, before that freaky elf guy showed up."

Sky sighed and shook her head. "Will showed up. I fought him… but I almost lost."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I'm not even sure how I won… but it wasn't exactly my happiest victory." Sky turned to her friend with an uncertain look on her face. "Brandy, do you think Koji will be okay?"

Brandy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. But, Whiskers and I survived when our world got swallowed up, so why shouldn't Koji, right?"

Sky nodded her head. "I hope so…"

Brandy paused for a moment and a smile formed on her face. "You really like this guy, don't you?"

Sky blushed at the sudden question and looked away. "Well… I, um… yeah, I guess. I mean, when we were little he was always like my annoying older cousin or something but now… Well, I guess the longer you know someone, the closer you get. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah…" Brandy replied with a smile. But then she shook her head furiously. "I mean, no! No I don't!" Sky just laughed at Brandy's embarrassment.

Suddenly, Goliath stopped and signaled for the others to do the same. "What is it?" Sky asked.

"I heard something." He replied. "Everyone, stay alert. We must be getting close…" He continued forward, followed by Sky, then Brandy and Whiskers. However, they didn't get more than five feet before a barrier appeared, trapping Sky and Goliath and separating them from Brandy and Whiskers.

Sky and Goliath quickly turned back to see the barrier, but turned around again when they heard an evil laugh. "You're closer than you think Goliath!" A familiar voice said from the shadows. Several lights turned on to reveal Demona standing at the center of a large clearing. Goliath and Sky took defensive stances, but Demona just laughed again. "I see William failed to eliminate the girl." She said. "But it's no matter. I have you both exactly where I want you."

"What are you planning Demona?" Goliath asked.

"It's simple, really." Demona snapped her fingers and several Shadow Heartless appeared all around Sky and Goliath. "Both of you must now surrender to me, or I will have my Heartless destroy the other Gargoyles."

"Oh, the old 'surrender or I'll hurt those you care about' ploy." Sky scoffed. "Newsflash: that's the oldest trick in the book, and it hasn't worked yet!"

"Perhaps not, but I believe I still have the advantage. Even if you decide to forfeit the clan's lives and resist me, you're hopelessly trapped. Sunrise is in just a few short hours, at which time you will be exposed and vulnerable. So which will it be Goliath? Either you can both live as my prisoners, and your clan will be unharmed, or their deaths will be on your conscience. Make your choice."

Goliath growled in anger, and his eyes began to glow. He could tell from the static he heard in his communicator that they would not be able to warn the others, most likely due to the magical barrier. But then, Sky spoke up.

"Here I thought you were supposed to be some all-powerful Gargoyle." She said. "But it turns out you're no better than all the other two-bit villainous monsters I've ever faced!"

Demona growled at Sky. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you, Human… while I still had it!"

"She's right Demona." Goliath added. "You've always thought yourself to be superior. Why not prove it? Face us without the aid of these Heartless to shield you. I know even you would prefer a fair fight over the deaths of your own kind. Now the choice is _yours._"

Demona frowned as she thought this over for a moment. "…Very well." She said at last, and the Heartless disappeared. "Then let us end this… once and for all!"

Demona spread her wings and roared, as she jumped for Goliath and Sky. The two jumped away in different directions, and Demona went after Sky.

Sky blocked with the Keyblade as Demona slashed at her with her claws, then dropped down to try and sweep the Gargoyle's legs out from under her. Demona just jumped up and tried to kick Sky on her way down, but Goliath jumped in and tackled Demona to the ground.

The two Gargoyles got back to their feet Demona tried to attack with her claws, but Goliath caught her hands in his, and it became a battle of force.

Demona, losing this battle, jumped up and kicked Goliath away, taking this opportunity to pull a laser weapon from her belt. She fired at Goliath who jumped away from the blast, then turned to fire at Sky, who blocked each shot with the Keyblade.

Goliath ran to the tallest tree he could find and climbed. Once he was high enough, he spread his wings and glided down.

"Sky!" He called, as he held out his hand. Sky turned to him and held out her hand as well, and Goliath swooped down and lifted her up. He then turned to swoop down towards Demona and Sky knocked the weapon from her hand with the Keyblade, then when they turned around for a second assault Sky stuck Demona herself, knocking her to the ground.

When Demona started to get up, Goliath took both of Sky's hands and threw her up in the air. She did a back flip and she and Goliath dropped down. On landing, Goliath struck the ground with his fists, and Sky with the Keyblade, which caused a shockwave that headed right for Demona and threw her into a tree. Demona stood dazed for a moment before falling to her knees.

"It's over." Said Goliath, as he and Sky approached the fallen Gargoyle. "You've failed Demona."

Just then, the barrier fell and Brandy and Whiskers rushed over to Sky and Goliath.

"Have I…?" Demona asked with a grin.

Suddenly, the ground shook and out of the shadows came a giant Heartless. This one was dark blue, and humanoid in shape, but devoid of a face, except for its huge, yellow eyes. From its round head grew two long, pointed ears. Its fingers were incredibly long, and between them was a web of dark purple energy which formed giant bat wings. On its feet were long, razor sharp talons, and on its chest was the Heartless symbol.

"Nocturnal Shade!" She called up to the Heartless. "Destroy them!"

The giant bat-like Beast turned to Sky and the others and emitted a super-sonic screech that caused them to hold their ears and grimace in pain.

"What now?" Whiskers asked.

"Now," Sky replied. "I think we should call in some friends."

Goliath nodded and held up the microphone of his communicator and said "Now Elisa!"

The Nocturnal Shade lifted its foot and tried to bring it down on its adversaries, but they quickly jumped out of the way.

Just then, the other Gargoyles glided in. Hudson carried Elisa, and Broadway carried Bronx.

"It's about time ye called us!" Said Hudson, and he put Elisa down and drew his sword. "We've been waiting long enough!"

The Heartless looked down at its enemies and flapped its wings, creating a strong wind that almost knocked them off their feet.

Elisa, bracing herself against the wind, drew her gun and shot several bullets into its body. Although it did no good against the Heartless, it provided enough of a distraction that it stopped flapping, and the Gargoyles charged into battle. They all began to claw away at its legs, and even climbed up as far as they could to attack its body.

Goliath turned to Sky. "Come with me." He said, as he ran to a tree. He signaled for Sky to climb onto his back, and once she did he climbed up. He then jumped off and glided straight towards the Heartless.

As soon as they were right over the creature Sky jumped off of Goliath's back and she landed on its head. Before it could swipe her away with its wings, Sky brought the Keyblade up and plunged into the Heartless, right between its eyes, and it shrieked in pain.

Goliath glided back to Sky and picked her up. The two glided down to the ground just as the Heartless began to fall.

Meanwhile, Demona saw that her Heartless had been defeated and tried to flee, but she couldn't get away in time before the creature fell over on her.

There was a flash of light, and all that remained of the Nocturnal Shade was its captive heart floating away. And Demona was nowhere to be found.

Sky and the others gathered not far away, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, does this mean it's finally over?" Brooklyn asked.

"Yeah." Sky replied. "For now at least…"

Goliath sighed and shook his head. "Jalapeño, what a night." He said.

Sky laughed a little. "I couldn't have said it better myself."

At that, everyone laughed.

---

After she had seen what had happened to Demona, Maleficent couldn't help but shake her head in annoyance.

"So, your pal didn't quite make it, huh?" Maleficent turned to see Hades once again leaning against the wall, acting nonchalant. "Don't take it too hard, Demona was just a little over eager."

"Indeed." Maleficent agreed. "Her pride blinded her. However, it makes no difference."

"Hey, far be it from me to complain about all the business you like to drum up for me—even if you do only send me the annoying ones that just leave again anyway—but exactly why do you keep these guys around if you don't care when they screw up?"

Maleficent just laughed. "I thought gods were supposed to be omniscient."

"Hey, my expertise is dead people. I ain't exactly a master of the universe. Not yet anyway. So tell me… what _are _you planning…?"

Maleficent smiled and turned to Hades. "Something grander than you could ever imagine Hades… far, far grander…"

---

Later, after everyone returned to the castle, Sky stood atop the tallest tower and looked out at the city. Already dawns light was beginning to illuminate everything. "This city sure is a lot more peaceful looking now." She said, to which Brandy and Whiskers agreed.

"Aye," Hudson agreed, as he and the other Gargoyles walked up, followed by Elisa, Xanatos and Owen. "Things always look more peaceful after the storm has passed."

"How do we know everything is back to normal though?" Brooklyn asked. "I doubt we've seen the last of Demona."

"Yeah," Said Sky. "But I've got a feeling she won't be calling on the Heartless again." She turned to face the Gargoyles, and their human friends. "But if you guys ever do have any more trouble with them, we'll be back to help you out."

Goliath nodded in appreciation. "And if you ever need our help, we will be here." He said. "From now on, you three can consider yourselves a part of our clan."

"But we're not Gargoyles." Whiskers pointed out confusedly.

"There's more to friendship than who or what you are." Sky explained. "It goes deeper than that. All the way to your heart."

Goliath turned to the east and saw the horizon getting brighter. "Dawn is upon us." He said. "It seems like it's time for us to say goodbye."

Sky nodded. "Thanks again for all your help." She said.

"Have a good sleep guys!" Said Whiskers.

The Gargoyles each said their farewells, then took their places just before the sun rose and they each turned to stone.

Sky smiled at the stone figures for a moment before turning to Elisa. "You'll be sure to take care of them, right?" She asked.

"I always have." Elisa replied with a smile. "Good luck Sky."

"Thanks." Next, Sky turned to Xanatos. "Thanks for all your help Mr. Xanatos."

"It was my pleasure." He replied. "I must say, you weren't what I expected at first, but now I'm pretty sure the universe is in good hands."

Sky smiled in appreciation, and she, Brandy and Whiskers turned to leave.

The three of them took the elevator down, and were about to exit the lobey when they heard Owen's voice.

"May I have a moment of your time?" He asked. Sky turned to see him standing nearby, though she wasn't sure how he'd gotten down to the lobby so fast.

"Sure, what is it Owen?" She asked.

Owen handed her something. She looked and saw that it was actually two objects. One was a charm with a Japanese symbol on it, and the other was a Keychain, which reminded her of the name "Nature's Soul" for some reason.

"I believe these should help you in your quest." Owen explained, adjusting his glasses. "Along with the other gifts I gave to you."

"Other gifts…?" Sky asked, but slapped her forehead. "Oh yeah, Puck. I still can't get used to the fact that you guys are one person."

"I also have some useful information." Owen continued. "It seems William was incorrect when he told you your friend was lost. In actuality, he is alive and well, and on a quest similar to yours."

Sky's heart skipped a beat. "You mean Koji? Where is he? Did you see him?"

"I'm afraid I have no more information then that. I hope I was of assistance to you." Without another word, Owen walked away.

Sky blinked in confusion a moment, as she let the information sink in. "Koji… you're okay!" A smile spread across her face and she tackled Brandy and Whiskers in a hug. "He's okay!"

"I knew he would be." Said Brandy.

Sky let go of both of them and gave them a smile. "Thanks… for everything."

Brandy and Whiskers nodded in reply. "Okay you guys," Sky continued. "Let's get going. We're not gonna find everyone by standing around like this. So let's get going!"

---


	24. Kuzco Academy

Okay, just to warn you, this chapter could be my weirdest yet.

(I only own the original characters. Nothing else.)

Sky leaned back in her seat as the Gummi ship flew through space, set on auto pilot. She hadn't realized till just now how little sleep she'd been getting lately. But then, spending an entire night fighting Heartless would tend to make anyone tired.

But despite all of that, Sky couldn't help but smile. It was such a relief to know Koji was alright.

_But where is he? _She asked herself. _And why hasn't he tried to let me know he's okay yet?_

Sky was snapped out of her thoughts by a light beeping sound and turned to see a blue light blinking. "What's that?" She asked.

Brandy and Whiskers shrugged their shoulders, but Gadget, who was writing in the journal, put down her pencil and the book and climbed onto the control panel to take a look.

"Oh, that's the communication device Jumba and I installed before we left." The female mouse explained. "Tron can use it to contact you directly. I thought it might be nice if Tron could inform us right away when he detects anything important."

"Wow, that's amazing Gadget." Said Whiskers.

"Especially since it means we won't have to get scared out of our wits by Cid." Brandy added.

Sky chuckled and pressed the button below the blue light. "Hello everyone," Tron's voice greeted. "I've just detected a dark energy reading on a world close to where you are now. I'll download the coordinates immediately."

Sky sighed a little. "No rest for the weary, I guess." She said. "Thanks Tron."

"Don't mention it. Just take care of yourselves everyone. Tron out."

Sky pressed the button again and took the Gummi ship off of auto-pilot. "Alright guys." She said. "Let's get going!"

---

Soon, Sky and the others arrived at the world Tron had mentioned.

They landed in what looked like some kind of Mayan kingdom-- or was it Incan?—with several large buildings and villages all resting on to of large rolling hills. The most prominent building, however, was a large structure with an enormous "KA" engraved in the front. It was here that Sky, Brandy and Whiskers now stood, looking around for any sign of Heartless.

"Do you think this place counts as a castle?" Sky asked her friends.

Brandy looked around and saw several people—most likely in their teens—walking around carrying scrolls like most people carry books. And they all wore similar red and white uniforms. "Actually," She said. "It looks more like… a school."

Sky looked around and nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She saw a nearby statue, and walked over to it. It was over ten feet high, and made of solid gold. It was a statue of a scrawny looking man, dressed in fancy, royal clothes. She looked down and read the inscription at the statue's base. "'Welcome to Kuzco Academy, owned and founded by the handsome, benevolent, kind, handsome, al-around awesome Emperor Kuzco… who is handsome and awesome.' Wow, he sounds humble, doesn't he?"

"I don't get it, though." Said Whiskers. "I can't see any sign of the Heartless around here."

Suddenly, there was a scream, and everyone around began to run for safety, as the Heartless appeared.

"You just _had_ to say something!" Brandy shouted, as she, Sky and Whiskers jumped into battle.

Sky summoned the Keyblade and switched its keychain for the one Puck had given her, and in a flash Kingdom Key changed into Nature's Soul. The blade of it looked like a long green stem, with a vine wrapped around it and topped by a purple flower. Its handle was a butterfly shape around a red and yellow hilt, and a heart with a wing formed the teeth of the key shape.

Holding Nature's Soul in her hands, Sky felt her strength and stamina increase, and she leapt into battle.

As she fought, Sky noticed that everyone had run away, except for one particularly scrawny looking person who had been trapped in a corner by the Heartless. Without hesitation, Sky jumped in front of the person and fought off the Heartless.

Soon, all the Heartless were defeated, and Brandy and Whiskers rejoined Sky. She turned to the person she saved. "You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah…" He replied. "But I coulda taken care of those things on my own, ya know."

"Sure you could have." Sky replaced the Keyblade's normal keychain, and it returned to normal. "Wait… you look familiar."

"Um, yeah, I should. I'm only the emperor and most important guy here." He pointed to the statue Sky had seen before

"Oh, right." Sky said, finally realizing. "You're that egomaniacal Kuzco guy that that statue was modeled after. I see."

Ignoring Sky—mostly because he didn't know what "egomaniacal" meant—Kuzco looked her, Brandy and Whiskers over. "Wait… you guys don't look like you're from around here."

"Yeah, well, we kinda aren't."

"Kuzco!" Everyone turned to see a girl run up, followed by a large, muscular guy with a ridiculously large jaw. They both approached Kuzco, who apparently knew them. "Kuzco, we heard that there were creatures attacking the school. Are you okay?"

"Oh sure, I'm fine." Kuzco replied. "I showed those creepy, shadowy things what for. Or at least I would have if these three hadn't interfered."

"Interfered!?" Sky demanded. "Excuse me, but I saved your scrawny butt!"

"Oh please. You honestly expect people to believe I got saved by some girl?"

"I believe it." The girl said dryly. She turned to Sky with a smile. "Hi, I'm Malina, and this is Kronk." She gestured towards the large guy next to her.

"Hey, how's it going?" Kronk greeted cheerfully.

"Hi," Sky replied. "I'm Sky, and these are my friends Brandy Harrington and Mr. Whiskers."

"Welcome to Kuzco Academy." Malina said warmly. "What brings you here?"

"And more importantly, what were those things?" Kuzco asked.

"Well," Sky replied. "They're sorta the reason we're here…"

Sky quickly explained about the Heartless, and about her mission to find her family. Kuzco didn't seem to understand any of it, Malina looked like she understood, but was surprised to learn about new worlds and evil shadow creatures.

"I've got a question," Said Kuzco. "Why were they after me? Well, aside from the fact that I'm handsome, smart, and totally awesome."

"Well, it certainly couldn't be for your humility." Sky commented, earning a frown from Kuzco and a chuckle from Malina.

"It could be that someone who hates Kuzco has gotten control of the Heartless and is now using them in her plot to become Empress." Kronk suggested. Everyone turned to look confusedly at him again. "Uh… or something like that. Or maybe not anything like that at all. Who knows? Um… I'm gonna go now. Later!" Kronk suddenly turned and was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving everyone to stare after him in confusion.

---

A little later, Kronk knocked on the door to an office and opened the door slightly. "You wanted to see me, Principal Amzy?" He asked, as he peered into the purple office at the woman who sat behind a desk.

"Yes Kronk," The very old and creepy woman replied. "Come in." Kronk did as he was told and took a seat in front of the desk. "Now tell me Kronk, what happened with the Heartless? Did they attack Kuzco?"

"Yup, they sure did. But lucky for him, this new girl named Sky showed up with her Keyblade and took care of them, lickety-split."

"What?!" Principal Amzy jumped from her seat and glared at Kronk. "I can't believe you let that happen!"

"Um… I shouldn't have?"

"Kronk, don't you remember the plan?"

"What plan would that be, Principal Amzy?"

Amzy sighed and her bony shoulders drooped. "Kronk, I cannot believe you forgot again." Suddenly, Amzy ripped off her Principal uniform and wig, to reveal the purple dress and hat she'd somehow hidden underneath. "it's me, Yzma!"

"Whoa!" Kronk exclaimed. "Did _not _see that coming! Talk about your literary suspense!"

Yzma sighed again and shook her head. "Kronk, the plan was to have the Heartless capture Kuzco, hold him captive, and keep him from attending school so that he would fail and I'd become Empress!"

Kronk thought for a moment, then grinned as realization set in. "Riiiiight."

Yzma pondered for a moment. "Wait a moment. You mentioned something called a Keyblade?" Kronk nodded. "Hmm… She must be that girl Maleficent mentioned to me."

"Maleficent?"

"Yeah, an old friend of mine. We swap spells every now and then. She was the one who gave me control of the Heartless."

"Oh, so that's how it happened!" Kronk smacked his forehead again. "It all makes sense now."

"She also warned me about a girl with a Keyblade. Hmm… if I could get that key of hers and give it to Maleficent, maybe she'd finally give me the formula for her evil wrinkle cream."

"Could be. But how're you gonna get it? I mean, that thing's kinda magically linked to her, its not like we can just take it."

"Trust me Kronk, I have my ways…" Yzma chuckled evilly to herself. "To the secret lab!"

Yzma and Kronk moved to a statue of a fanged creature's face sticking out of the wall, and Kronk placed a hand on one of the fangs. "Pull the lever Kronk!" Yzma commanded.

"You sure?" Kronk added. "I mean, it almost always ends up being the wrong one, and something bad always happens to you."

"Oh please, everything that could happen to me has been done. What more is there?"

"Good point."

pulled the lever, and Yzma was run over by a Chocobo. "Wha… What was that?" She asked, as Kronk helped her up.

"Well, looked like a Chocobo, a creature that appeared in the famous video game series 'Final Fantasy.'" Kronk explained, earning a confused look from Yzma. "You know, that or a really big chicken."

"Whatever." Yzma muttered. "Just pull the other lever."

Kronk did just that, and the wall turned, placing them both in a roller-coaster style car.

"Please keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times," A voice said, as Yzma and Kronk readied themselves. "And enjoy the ride."

The car moved forward, and Kronk and Yzma found themselves racing down a long, winding track.

The car stopped abruptly, and Yzma and Kronk were thrown out. When they landed on the ground, they were both dressed in lab coats and goggles. They turned to each other briefly, to give each other a high-five.

"Now then…" Said Yzma, as she stepped over to a table covered by test-tubes and bottles of chemicals. "How do I steal that Keyblade? Oh, I know…

"First, I'll turn the girl into a giraffe. Then, I'll throw a huge party, and have only one entrance tall enough for her to go through. I'll add a metal detector to the door, so she'll have to hand over all of her metal objects, including the Keyblade! It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!! Ha-ha-ha!"

"Yeah, Said Kronk. "Except that metal detectors haven't been invented yet. Plus that plan doesn't include a way of taking care of Kuzco. Oh, and catering a party with enough food for a giraffe would be pretty expensive. Trust me, I know."

Yzma sighed. "Fine. Let me think, then." Yzma rubbed her chin in thought a moment, before an idea hit her. "I've got it!" She snapped her fingers and a Shadow Heartless appeared. Yzma took a small bottle full of pink potion and dumped it on the Heartless. In a flash, the Heartless transformed into an almost perfect duplicate of Kuzco, except for his yellow eyes.

"Whoa. That's creepy-looking." Said Kronk. "What about his yellow eyes?" Yzma placed sunglasses over Heartless-Kuzco's eyes. "Oh yeah, much better. So, how come you made this Heartless look like Kuzco?"

"It's very simple Kronk. You see, there is going to be a very big test tomorrow, worth almost seventy percent of kuzco's grade. I am going to have this Heartless take that test, and fail. Then I'll become empress! And as for Kuzco… I want you to trick them into going into the jungle, and then turn them both into some kind of animal. Preferable something without opposable thumbs. Then I'll send the Heartless after them, and they'll be helpless!" Yzma laughed again.

"Hey, that's a good plan. What kind of animal do you wanna change them into, though?"

"Eh, I don't care. You pick."

"Sweet, I get to choose!" Kronk ran to Yzma's potion cupboard and came back with a small bottle. "Got one!"

"Excellent! Now, lets set my plan in motion, and by this time tomorrow, I shall be the wrinkle-free Empress! Ha-ha-ha!!!"


	25. RamaLlamadingdong

I am SOOOOOOOOOO sorry for the long absence. I have had a huge writer's block on all my stories, and I'm only now getting over it.

Anyway, I was gonna make this the last chapter in my Emperor's New Groove/School story ark, but I decided to divide it into two chapters, to end you guys' waiting.

Again, I am so sorry. Enjoy!

(I do not own anyone created by Disney and/or Square-Enix)

The next morning, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers walked with Kuzco and Malina to school.

Sky yawned and stretched a bit. "It sure was nice of your friend Pacha and his family to let us stay the night at their house Kuzco." She said.

"Yeah, that's Pacha for you." Kuzco replied. "He's always acting… um, what's the word?"

"Generous?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Wow, I never thought it possible," Whiskers whispered to Brandy. "But this guy's even more spoiled than you!"

"It is a mystery." Brandy agreed.

The five friends were almost at the school, when they met up with Kronk, who smiled dumbly at them. "Mornin' Kuzco, Malina, Sky, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers." He said, nodding to each in turn. "Headin' to school, I see."

"Um, yeah?" Kuzco said impatiently.

"We're tagging along to make sure the Heartless don't cause more trouble." Sky added.

"I see." Said Kronk. "Good plan. We sure wouldn't want those pesky Heartless to be causing trouble. Nope. That'd be… bad. Yeah."

Everyone remained silent for a moment, until Malina asked "Um, is there something you wanted to say Kronk?"

"Oh yeah!" Kronk turned to Sky. "I was on my morning nature walk in the jungle today, and I saw something weird. Coulda been one of those Heartless things. Maybe you aughta check it out or something?"

"Oh sure." Sky replied. "Where'd you see it at?"

"Just in the jungle this way." Kronk said, pointing into the dense jungle.

"Alright. Brandy, Whiskers, let's go."

"Hey, what about me?" Kuzco whined. "You can't just go off without me. I am the Emperor, after all."

"Kuzco," Said Malina. "As surprised as I am to see you _wanting _to do something like this, we have a big test today. If you fail this test, you fail school."

"Don't worry Malina, that won't be for awhile now. I'll be back in plenty of time. Besides, Kronk probably only saw a squirrel or something."

"Well, okay. But you'd better get back in time. Think you can take care of that Sky?"

"No problem Malina." Sky replied.

"Hey! I don't need her to baby sit me!" Kuzco said, sounding offended.

"Whatever." Malina replied with a role of her eyes. "I'll see you later then." Malina waved and everyone waved back, before heading to school.

"Alright Kronk," Said Sky. "Lead the way."

"Right." Kronk replied. "Just follow me."

---

Kronk led the others through the dense jungle, far away from the school. In fact, they were getting so far away from the school that Sky was worried they might get lost, and decided to voice her concern.

"Hey Kronk?" She asked. "Are you sure you saw something out here? I mean, we're awfully deep into the jungle."

"Yeah, and I'm getting sick of all this walking." Kuzco whined. "Just where are we headed, anyway?"

"Well…" Kronk replied, coming to a stop. "We, uh… we're… here! Yep, this is the spot alright… Yup."

Sky raised an eyebrow in suspicion and looked around. "Strange…" She said. "If there were Heartless here, wouldn't they have shown up by now?"

"Well, maybe they're the kind of Heartless that like to hide." Kronk suggested. "You should probably take a look around, you know, just in case."

Sky thought for a moment and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess so."

As Sky began to look through the nearby underbrush, Kronk turned to Brandy and Whiskers. "You know," He said. "While she's looking around here, maybe you two aughta look somewhere else, like… Oh, I dunno… further off in the jungle where you could easily get lost and then not be readily available to help Sky out if the Heartless attacked… you know, speaking hypothetically."

"You know Kronk," Brandy said slowly. "If I didn't know better, I could swear that sounded like a contrived plot to separate us from Sky."

"Oh come on Brandy," Whiskers replied. "Its not like Kronk is only pretending to be our friend and is actually a mindless henchman working for a maniacal fiend bent on world conquest."

"Technically, she only wants to be Empress." Kronk added. "Oh, and some wrinkle cream. Uh… I mean, of course I'm not!"

Brandy stared at Kronk a moment before sighing and rubbing her temples. "Why do there have to be so many idiots in the universe?" She asked.

Kronk and Whiskers simultaneously replied "For comedic purposes."

Brandy sighed again and trudged off into the jungle. "Come on Whiskers, let's get this over with!"

"Right behind ya Brandy!" Whiskers called as he followed.

Once they were out of sight, Kronk sneakily took out two canteens of water and the potion from Yzma's lab, and poured a little of the potion into each canteen. He then turned and walked up to Kuzco, who was lazily leaning against a nearby tree, and handed him a canteen.

"Hey Kuzco, ya thirsty?" He asked with a smile.

Kuzco looked at the canteen, then at Kronk. "It's not that nasty river water is it?" He asked. "Cause me no likey river water."

"Nope, this here is all natural spring water, it's full of good… uh, stuff. Yeah."

Kuzco eyed the canteen suspiciously another moment, before finally shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever. I am pretty parched after all that—yuck—walking." Kuzco took the canteen and took a long drink from it.

Just then, Sky walked up to them. "I couldn't find anything." She reported. She looked around, and was surprised to only see Kronk and Kuzco. "Where'd Brandy and Whiskers go?"

"Oh, they went off to look somewhere else." Kronk explained. "They should be back soon. Have some water?"

Kronk handed Sky the canteen, and she took it with a smile. "Thanks Kronk, I am pretty thirsty." She took a drink and smacked her lips. "Mmm, not bad."

"Yeah, kinda has a bit of a kick to it." Kuzco agreed, before taking another drink.

"Well," Said Kronk, as he edged away from Sky and Kuzco. "You two just enjoy the water, and I'm gonna… uh… go do my laundry! See ya!"

Sky turned to Kronk as he rushed away, and a worried frown came over her face.

"Hey Kuzco, does he usually run away like that?" She asked.

"Eh, sometimes." Kuzco replied, with an unconcerned shrug. "Why do you ask?"

"Doesn't this all seem a little… suspicious to you?"

"Suspicious? Sky, I am an emperor, and as such I have razor sharp senses and a mind like a steel trap. If anything was suspicious around here, I'd know it." Just then, as Kuzco took another drink, his ears transformed, and became long and furry.

Sky's eyes went wide, as she stared at Kuzco's ears. "Kuzco…" She said, slowly. "What's wrong with your ears?"

"My ears? What do you mean? I think you need to be more concerned with your hands and feet."

Sky looked confused for a moment, but when she looked down she noticed her hands and feet had turned to hooves. "Aah! What's happening?!"

---

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the jungle, Brandy and Whiskers had all but given up on finding Heartless and were trying to find their way back to the others.

"Gee, when Kronk told us to search this way, he should have mentioned we could easily get lost." Said Whiskers.

"Yeah, I think he did." Brandy replied. "Which, in retrospect, should have stopped me. But nooo! Ugh, why did I ever agree to this?"

"To get away from Kronk, who annoys you almost as much as I do?"

"Oh yeah, that's it." Bandy stopped when a little squirrel jumped in front of her, and looked up at her with its big, cute eyes. "What do you want?"

The Squirrel held up a walnut and smiled sweetly at her. "Aww, I think he wants to be your friend." Said Whiskers.

"Aww, he does?" Brandy asked, leaning down to look the squirrel in the eye. "Well, if you want to be my friend, then you can do me a huge favor and GET LOST!" Brandy smacked the nut out of the squirrel's hands, and stomped past him.

Whiskers patted the poor squirrel on the head. "Don't take it personally." He said. "She's mean to everyone, but it usually comes back to haunt her some how."

"Oh please." Brandy said without stopping. "Like that is at all true. Aaah!" Brandy tripped on a vine and rolled down a hill, which led her into a clearing. She stood back up with a groan and gasped to see the clearing full of sleeping jaguars.

"Hey Brandy!" Whiskers called as he rushed after her.

Brandy tackled Whiskers and put her hand over his mouth, nodding towards the jaguars.

Slowly, Whiskers and Brandy tried to back away from the jaguars, when suddenly the squirrel jumped up onto a nearby thorn bush and smiled evilly at them. Taking a balloon out from behind his back, the squirrel inflated it and made a little balloon dog, which resembled Brandy, and grabbed a thorn.

"Oh no, no, no, no!" Brandy gasped, but the squirrel just grinned some more and poked the balloon, creating a loud pop.

Brandy and Whiskers held each-other in fear, expecting the jaguars to awaken any second… but they were still sound asleep.

Sighing in relief, Whiskers let go of Brandy and turned to the squirrel, shouting "Ha! In your face!" Suddenly, the jaguars woke up, and all turned to look hungrily at the dog and rabbit. "Oops…" Whiskers said timidly.

"Ya think?!" Brandy shouted. "Run for your life!!!" Brandy ran off, with Whiskers right behind her, as the jaguars rushed after them both.

---

Back at Kuzco academy, Kronk silently crept into the school, trying not to look suspicious, but failing miserably at it.

"Hey Kronk," Malina greeted him, when she saw him in the hall. "Where are Kuzco, Sky, and her friends?"

At first, Kronk jumped at the sight of her, but then he tried to think of an answer. "Uh… I dunno… I haven't seen 'em."

"They were just with you, though…"

"Oh, riiight. They were. Well, uh, thing is, uh…"

Suddenly, a small angel, resembling Kronk, appeared on his shoulder. "You've gotta fess up!" The Kronk-Angel said, sternly. "If not for your pal Kuzco, or for that weird dog and bunny, then do it for ol' Sora! He wouldn't like it if you helped Yzma bump his daughter off."

"Uh… I thought I didn't really know Sora?" Kronk replied dumbly. Just then, another little Kronk, this time a devil, popped up on his other shoulder.

"What're ya listening to dress-guy over there for?" The Kronk-Devil asked. "Just lie to Malina and nobody will be the wiser."

"But at what cost?" Angel-Kronk asked.

"Cost-shmost!" Devil-Kronk called back. "Why should he care about anyone but himself?!"

"Hey guys," Kronk interrupted. "Mind if we talk about this later? Now's not really a good time."

"Yeah, sure," Devil-Kronk replied, then turned to Angel-Kronk. "What say we go grab a burger?"

"Eh, why not?" Angel Kronk replied, and they both disappeared again.

"Sorry about that," Kronk apologized to Malina. "My shoulder angel and shoulder devil had a disagreement. Uh… not that I have some kind of an emotional conflict or anything! Uh… yeah."

Malina just stared in confusion, but then she saw someone from the corner of her eye. It looked like Kuzco, wearing a pair of sunglasses. "Hey, Kuzco!" She called, only to receive a half-hearted (pardon the pun) wave. "That's weird. Kronk, what's up with…?" She turned to Kronk, only to find he had run off. "Something very weird is going on here…"

---

Sky cautiously looked into a puddle of water to see a strange sight looking back at her. It was a llama, with red fleece and blue eyes, and a ponytail at the top of its head. It looked… disturbingly familiar.

"What's happened to me?!" She screamed, looking down at her hands-turned-hooves. "I've been turned into some kind of… alpaca!"

"Excuse me!" Kuzco, also transformed into a llama, cried indignantly. "We're llamas, not alpacas! Weird, I didn't think Yzma would have done the same thing twice."

"She's done this before?! Wait… that water! Kronk must have done this! But why?"

"Yzma musta made him do it. But really, making me a llama twice is just redundant."

"Kuzco! You mean to tell me Kronk works for Yzma, and you knew that?!"

"Yeah, but I honestly thought he'd finally changed. You know, after the millions of times Yzma's failed."

Sky's eye twitched and she let out a frustrated groan. "This world… is so screwed up!"

Kuzco was about to make a snide comment as Sky looked back down at her reflection, but stopped when he heard a noise. "Hey, what was that?"

Sky heard the noise, too, and looked around. Everything seemed calm… but it was the same calm that came before the storm…

"Kuzco," she said in a low voice, "I think we should get out of here…"

"Why?" Kuzco asked. His answer came in the form of several Shadow Heartless appearing, surrounding them both.

Kuzco jumped behind Sky, and she scoffed. "How're you gonna fight these things if you can't use your key-knife?" He asked.

"Key_blade_!" Sky replied testily. "And what makes you think I can't use it?"

"Um, hello? Hooves?" Kuzco raised his own front hoof to Sky's face. "What now?"

Sky pondered a moment, but finally grinned at all the Heartless. "Well Kuzco, where there's a will…" The Keyblade appeared in her mouth, clenched between her llama teeth. "'Ere's a 'ay."

"What? Oh, 'there's a way'! I get it. You shouldn't talk with your mouth full, it's rude!"

Sky ignored Kuzco and jumped into battle, swinging her Keyblade around with her long neck, and kicking them with her back teeth. Kuzco just stayed back, cheering her on.

Finally, Sky eliminated the last Heartless and turned to Kuzco. "Where can we find this Yzma?" She asked, after the Keyblade disappeared. "We've got to get her to reverse this!"

"She has a 'secret' lab where she usually hangs out," Kuzco replied. "But I don't think she's just gonna give us the cure."

"Well we've gotta try! Now come on, we have to find our way out of this Jungle. Oh, I hope Brandy and Whiskers are okay…"

---

"We are SO not okay!" Brandy howled as she and Whiskers trudged through the jungle, covered in mud, leaves, scratches and scrapes. "If I ever get my hands on that stupid Kronk…!"

"Well, at least we escaped those jaguars," Whiskers said with a grin, but then glanced at the bite mark on his ear. "Or, mostly, anyway…"

Brandy sighed and rolled her eyes, but her eyes lit up as she saw something on the horizon. "Whiskers, look! It's the school!"

Whiskers looked, and saw the school, sitting just beyond a large gorge. Over the gorge was a rope bridge, the only way across the deep chasm.

"I dunno, Brandy, that bridge doesn't look safe," said Whiskers.

Brandy ignored him, however, and rushed to the bridge. Whiskers sighed and followed. They hadn't made it halfway across, however, when they heard a snap, and stopped dead in their tracks.

"Whiskers? I don't think this bridge is safe…" Brandy said slowly.

"Oh, why didn't I see that sooner?!" Whiskers scolded himself.

"Don't worry, Whiskers… just back up… slowly…" Whiskers nodded and the two began to back up, taking care where they stepped.

But suddenly, the boards beneath them gave way, and they fell through.

They both screamed as they fell, but as they fell lower the sides of the gorge came closer together, until they both became wedged against each other at the bottom.

"Wow, that was lucky," Whiskers commented. But then, they looked down and saw that below them was a long drop into an alligator-infested river.

"You were saying?!" Brandy shouted.

"Now, now, don't panic, Brandy! Maybe we can still get out of this!"

"How?"

"Um… oh, I got it!" Whiskers linked his arms with Brandy's. "We'll work together to climb up!"

"I get the feeling that's been done before, but okay. On the count of three, we start with our left foot."

"Your left or mine?"

"Whiskers!"

"Okay, okay! Your left! Sheesh!" Starting slowly and carefully, Brandy and Whiskers pushed against each other, and walked up the gorge, slowly making their way to the top. "Gee, I hope there aren't any scorpions around… or bats…"

---


	26. School's Out

Whoa. Okay... I'm not gonna bother with excuses and the reasons I haven't updated in so long. There's too many to count, and I'd rather just get to the story again.

I HATE this chapter, tho... to be honest I just wanted to get the "Emperor's New Groove/School ark done and over with.

(As always, I do not own KH, Disney, or anything that I didn't think up myself.)

As Malina sat at her desk, she couldn't help but turn her gaze towards Kuzco every so often. Or, at least, who she thought was Kuzco. He seemed more disinterested in the class than ever, just sitting there staring straight ahead as Mr. Moleguaco taught. He was still wearing those sunglasses, too.

She turned around to look at Kronk, who sat uneasily at his desk, looking very nervous about something. Whatever was going on, Malina didn't like it one bit.

--

"Just how big is this jungle, anyway?" Sky asked as she and Kuzco made their way through the dense vegetation.

"Too big, trust me," Kuzco replied. "Hey, you sure you don't wanna carry me?"

"For the last time, Kuzco, no!" Sky sighed heavily and looked down at her hooves. "I don't know how Dad got used to changing forms so often…"

"Eh, it's easier than it sounds. I've been turned into every animal you can imagine."

"Man, this Yzma really has it out for you, huh? Why doesn't she just try to kill you and get it over with?"

"I think she has once or twice…" Kuzco turned to Sky and noticed a thoughtful look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Sky replied. "Just thinking about my parents."

Kuzco nodded. There was a pause, but finally he said, "what're they like?"

Sky looked surprised at Kuzco. She didn't expect him to think about anything but himself. "Why do you care?" she asked.

"I don't," Kuzco said with a shrug, "but I'm bored. So what are they like?"

"Well… my mom is really sweet and kind. She'd do anything for me or Dad. And she would always sing to me as a kid whenever I was sad or scared. She has such a beautiful singing voice. And my dad… Well what can I say, he's basically the hero of the universe. But you wouldn't know it to look at him. He's always acting silly, and always knows how to make me laugh." Sky sighed again. "I miss them so much…"

Kuzco just nodded slowly.

"How about your parents?" Sky asked.

Kuzco shrugged his shoulders again. "I dunno, I never really knew them."

"Oh, I'm so sorry…"

"Eh, don't be. I got along fine as a kid. Had everything I ever wanted."

Sky stared at him a moment, then shook her head. "Kuzco, you amaze me, sometimes…"

Kuzco laughed. "Yeah, I amaze everyone."

Sky rolled her eyes, but smiled when she looked ahead and saw something. It was the school! "We're almost there! Come on, let's go!"

Sky ran faster, as fast as her four legs could go, and Kuzco rushed to keep up.

--

The bell rang, and the students filed into the halls. Malina, watching "Kuzco" carefully, noted just how mechanical his actions were. Like he was nothing more than a machine programmed for a single purpose.

"Something very strange going on here…" she said. She noticed Kronk at his locker and walked over to confront him.

"Kronk," she said, causing him to jump, "what's going on with Kuzco?"

"Huh, Kuzco?" Kronk asked, trying unsuccessfully to act innocent, "Who's Kuzco? Never heard of a Kuzco, or a Sky, or even Brandy and Mr. Whiskers for that matter!"

Malina put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Kronk, Kuzco has been acting weird, and I haven't seen the others since you all went to the jungle this morning. What happened?"

Kronk started biting his nails, and sweat poured down his face. He felt like he was under a hot spotlight, and the pressure became too much for him.

"Okay, I confess!" he cried, and quickly said "Yzma wanted Sky's Keyblade to trade for wrinkle cream so she had me pick a potion, trick Sky and Kuzco into going to the jungle and turn them into llamas cause they don't have thumbs and now a Heartless Kuzco's gonna fail the test and I don't even know what happened to Brandy and Whiskers!" Malina blinked in confusion, but Kronk just took a deep breath and smiled. "Phew, does it feel good to get that off my chest."

"Kronk!" Malina yelled, "we have to stop that Kuzco heartless from taking the test and find them!"

"Oh, riiiight." Kronk paused a moment. "Wait, find who?"

--

"Why does she even have that lever?!" Sky demanded as she came back in the room, kicking an alligator off her tail. She and Kuzco had gotten to Principle Amzy's office and Kuzco had, of course, pulled the wrong lever.

She walked back to the statue and this time, Kuzco pulled the right level, sending them through the roller coaster down to the lab, where they both ended up in lab clothes, Sky's too big and Kuzco's too small. They took the clothes off and headed to Yzma's potion cabinet.

"It's not here!" Sky gasped after they failed to find a "human" potion.

"Well of course it isn't," Kuzco complained. "It's never here!"

"Looking for this, again?" Sky and Kuzco turned to see Yzma holding a pink vial.

"Yike!" Sky said, trying not to gag, "you're even uglier than I thought! You're… you're…"

"Scary beyond belief?" Kuzco suggested.

"Yeah, that's it."

"Well," Yzma chuckled, "if you think _I'm _the scary one, then you ain't seen nothing yet!" She snapped her fingers and a squad of Heartless appeared.

Sky summoned the Keyblade and dropped into a fighting position as the Heartless attacked.

--

"Alright, class," Mr. Moleguaco said a he passed out the tests, "remember that this test is worth seventy percent of your grade. So don't blow it… Kuzco." he glared at Kuzco, who just took his paper and stared ahead.

Suddenly, Kronk and Malina ran into the room. "Stop!" Malina cried. "That's not Kuzco!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," said Mr. Moleguaco, "if that's not Kuzco then may a dinosaur and two talking llamas come crashing through the wall!"

At that moment, the wall burst open, and Yzma and her Heartless came flying in. Sky followed, still swinging the Keyblade, and Kuzco came after her.

"Huh," he said as Mr. Moleguaco and the students fled the room. "What're the odds of us ending up here?"

Sky, kicking and swinging the Keyblade, destroyed as many Heartless as she could, but there were just too many.

Yzma laughed. "I knew you'd be no match for the Heartless as a llama! And without your weird little friends, you don't stand a chance!"

"Don't be too sure of that!" Yzma gasped and turned to see Brandy and Whiskers in the doorway.

"But, how did you get here?" she demanded.

Brandy lifted a finger, about to reply, when she stopped and a confused look came over her. "How _did _we get here, Whiskers?"

"I dunno," Whiskers replied, pulling down a map showing the distance between the jungle and the school, including the gorge where they had fallen. "It really just doesn't seem possible," he said.

"Hey, that's me and Yzma's joke!" Kronk objected. "For crying out loud, is there no such thing as originality these days!?"

"Guys!" Sky called, pushing back a wave of Heartless. "Less talky, more fighty!"

"Oh, right," said Brandy. She took her shield and tossed it like a Frisbee, and it flew across the room smashing into several Heartless before it returned to her hand.

Whiskers jumped into the fray, casting aeroga to shield himself as he blasted a volley of fire and ice blasts at the Heartless.

Now with help from her friends, Sky was finally able to regain the upper hand. She slashed the Keyblade at a Heartless, knocking him right into Yzma who dropped the pink vial to the ground.

"The potion!" Sky gasped. "Grab it, quick!"

Kuzco, being closest, rushed to grab the vial, only for it to be picked up by a very familiar figure in sunglasses. "Wow," Kuzco said as he stared at his Heartless double, "it's like looking in a very handsome mirror."

"Heartless Kuzco!" Yzma commanded, "hand over that vile!"

Slowly, the Kuzco Heartless turned to Yzma with a strange grin on its face. Then to everyone's shock, it opened it's mouth wide and swallowed the vial whole.

"Eww!" Brandy cried, "we don't have to try and get that bottle out of him, do we?"

"Heartless!" Yzma shouted, "do as I command! Why aren't you listening to me?!" The Heartless just continued grinning, it's teeth looking more like fangs, and it took off the sunglasses to reveal its eyes had gone from yellow to red.

Suddenly, the creature leapt forward and into the whole leading to Yzma's lab. Everyone chased after it in time to find it gobbling more and more potions from the cabinet, growing and changing as it did.

"It's… eating the potions?" Malina gasped.

"Yeah…" said Kronk, "magic potions ad otherworldly beings of darkness and destruction… not a good mix."

"It must have become addicted to the potions, and is gaining power from them!" Yzma deduced. "Meaning it's becoming more powerful than I'd ever hope it would be! Hahaha!"

"Yeah, but isn't it, like, out of your control, now?" Kuzco asked.

Yzma pouted and crossed her arms. "Sure, when you point out the negatives it _sounds_ bad!"

The Heartless, now twice its original size, with green, stony skin, a long snake tail instead of legs, and bright red feathers growing from its hands-turned-talons, stopped and turned to them with a roar before it leapt up and broke through the ceiling, causing large stones to fall down. One was about to crush Sky when Kronk jumped foreword and grabbed her, taking her out of harms way and landing gracefully, garnering a perfect ten from Brandy, Whiskers and Kuzco.

"Kronk?!" Sky said, still mad at him for tricking her, "just whose side are you even on?!"

Kronk just shrugged. "Meh, it depends on whether or not my conscience kicks in or not. It usually does right around this point, though."

Sky stared at the large man in disbelief, but then a roar from the roof of the school grabbed her attention.

"We've gotta get up there!" Sky said, and Brandy and Mr. Whiskers nodded.

"Well, have fun with that," said Kuzco. Sky turned to him with a glare. "What…?"

"You're coming, too! That thing has our only means of becoming human again!"

Kuzco paused as if to think a moment. "Any other reasons?"

"Now, Kuzco!"

--

Once they reached the roof, Sky, Brandy, Whiskers and Kuzco gasped to see the Heartless, now ten times bigger, wrapped like a snake around the school, covered in green, rock-like scales, with a large dragon-like head and fiery red-feathered wings. It had undoubtedly consumed the entire cabinet by now.

"How the heck do we fight that?" Kuzco asked.

Sky had no clue. But she knew that this… Winged Serpent Heartless was going to hurt a lot of people, so she couldn't just wait around. Moving fast, she rushed the nearest coil of its body, ready to strike, but without warning the tip of the Serpent's tail whipped around and struck Sky away. Then the Heartless turned its head towards them, and a blast of pink fire erupted from its mouth.

Everyone flinched as the fire engulfed them, but, strangely, it didn't burn. When the flames subsided, Sky was shocked to find she was once again her human self.

"I'm back to normal!" she gasped. "Guys, I'm… Uh-oh…" When she turned around she saw that Kuzco had been changed into a turtle, Brandy had become a crab, and Whiskers was a chameleon with bunny ears.

"Don't you say a word…" Brandy said threateningly to the others, lest she hear a joke about her "crabbiness."

Sky sighed and slapped her forehead. Obviously she had lucked out in becoming human again, but how was she to help the others?

_I have to defeat that creature and get the potions back,_

she thought.

_Or maybe its spells will wear off when it's dead. But how do I fight it?_

It was then that she remembered the charm in her pocket. She took it out and concentrated on it's power, and in a flash of light a boy appeared in front of her, dressed in traditional Japanese clothes. The boy--Sky knew instantly his name was Haku--bowed to her, then in a flash he transformed into a long, silvery dragon. Haku nodded for her to get on his back, and Sky complied.

"Hold on tight, Sky," Haku told her, and they zoomed into the sky. Haku slithered through the air as though he were swimming in water, and raced along the Winged Serpent's coils, clawing and biting at it while Sky struck with the Keyblade. Then, to finish it off, Haku began to fly in a circle around the monster's head, while Sky held out the Keyblade to strike him with each turn. Then finally, Haku flew high above the Heartless, and Sky moved to Haku's head, pointing the Keyblade like a javelin as they flew straight down to deliver the final blow.

The Keyblade struck the Heartless between the eyes, and it erupted in a burst of red light as its captive heart floated away. Magic floated down in the form of bubbles, but unlike most magic that came from the defeated Heartless, these bubbles were pink. When they touched Brandy, Whiskers and Kuzco, they were returned to normal.

"Yay," Brandy and Kuzco cheered, "we're us again!"

"Aww, and I was just getting to enjoy changing colors," Whiskers said with a frown.

Malina, Kronk and Yzma rushed up to join them just as Haku landed. Sky got off his back as he changed back into human form, and they exchanged bows.

"Thank you for your help, Haku," she said to him.

"Think nothing of it," Haku replied. "Farewell, Sky." With a final wave goodbye, Haku disappeared again.

--

Back inside, everyone looked around at the damage wrought by the battle.

"Wow," said Kronk, "You sure made a mess, Yzma. Principle Amzy is gonna be pretty mad when she finds out."

Yzma just slapped her forehead. "I'll tell you one thing, Kronk," she said. "I've learned two lessons today. One: Heartless are unreliable, and two: No evil wrinkle cream is worth that kind of trouble."

"So you're done with the Heartless, right?" Whiskers asked.

Yzma shrugged her bony shoulder. "Yeah, sure. I'm better off with complex plans, evil potions and nit-wit sidekicks."

"That's me!" Kronk said proudly.

Sky just sighed. "This world is totally weird. Kinda cool… but weird."

Malina giggled. She then turned to Kuzco and nudged him. "What?" he asked. Malina nodded towards Sky. "Oh, right, fine. Um, Sky… thanks for… saving us and getting me back to normal again and… stuff."

Sky smiled and shook her head. Somehow, she felt that, for Kuzco, that was the closest thing to a sincere "thank you" as she would get. "You're welcome, Kuzco. And, you know, maybe you're not the spoiled, egotistical, self-important jerk I thought you were. Or, not as bad of one, anyway."

Kuzco smiled. "Aw, you're making me blush, here."

"So I guess you guys have to be going?" Malina asked.

"Yep," Sky replied. "But we'll be back soon. And if the Heartless at up again, we'll take care of them."

--

In a dark room, illuminated only by a few candles, Maleficent found Will sitting in an old chair. He concentrated on the pages of a book, but frowned and tossed it aside. "Don't you have anything but spell books?" he asked her.

"My apologies," Maleficent said with a small, sarcastic bow. "Perhaps you would prefer a fairy tale?"

Will frowned at her and turned away. "What do you want now?"

"I trust your wounds have almost healed?" He nodded. One of the perks of being a beast was that you healed much faster. "Good. Then it's almost time for you to go on your final mission."

Will suddenly perked up, and turned to her with a curious look. "Final mission?"

Maleficent nodded. "Up until now, William, I have been testing your loyalty to me. You have proven yourself worthy of the task I now give to you."

Will looked at her a moment, trying in vain to study her cold, expressionless face. "What kind of task…?"

Maleficent raised her staff, and in a flash a sword appeared in Will's hand. Its blade was dark green, etched with markings resembling thorns, and the hilt was black and designed to resemble a dragon. "Find that girl Sky," Maleficent said to him. "And bring her to me… by any means necessary."

Will looked down at the sword a moment, then back up at Maleficent. "You mean… even if I have to…"

"Yes, William. Bring her to me… dead or alive."


	27. The Pride Lands

Wow, I'm updating again! :) Since I don't have to rewrite any more chapters that I lost with my old computer, hopefully it'll be easier to write new ones so I can update more frequently.

Enjoy!

(I do not own any of the Disney, KH or Final Fantasy characters. Just the ones I made up.)

Brandy sighed heavily as she leaned back in her seat. "So we gotta go to yet another world, huh?" she asked irritably.

"Afraid so, Brandy," Sky replied. Just moments later Tron had contacted them with news of another world under possible Heartless threat, and of course Brandy wasn't thrilled.

"Don't we ever get vacation time?" Brandy asked as she sat up again. "I mean, we are _so _not getting paid enough for this."

"Brandy, we're not getting paid at all," said Whiskers.

"Exactly! I mean, shouldn't we get some time off? I wouldn't mind going back to Atlantica and spending the day at the beach. Or maybe we could check out the shopping on Radiant Garden."

Sky rolled her eyes. "Brandy, are you forgetting two things? Namely your world and my family? We can't rest till we find them! And the best way is to keep fighting Heartless till we can find clues."

Gadget, meanwhile, sat cross legged on the ship's dashboard, writing in the journal. "You know this world at least," she commented. "Right, Sky?"

"That's right," Sky replied with a smile. "The Pride Lands. I haven't been in awhile, but it was always so fun."

"Define fun," said Brandy.

Sky just laughed. "You'll see when we get there, Brandy."

--

_Well,_ Simba thought, _this is it… the moment I've been dreading…_

All the lionesses had assembled on Pride Rock for this important occasion. It was, perhaps, the most important occasion Simba's Pride had seen in many years.

So why did he wish it wasn't for another decade or so?

Noticing his nervous stance--and laughing just a little--Nala approached him and nuzzled him affectionately. "Calm down, Simba," she whispered. "She'll be just fine."

"Are you sure?" Simba asked. "Maybe I could just tag along--just to make sure she doesn't get hurt."

"Simba, she's going on her first hunt. She needs to do it alone. You can't expect to always be right there."

"I just don't want her to get hurt."

Nala shook her head. "Kiara will be fine, Simba. After all… she is your daughter."

Simba smiled, but only for a moment. And then, all heads turned as Kiara, the lioness of the hour, stepped out, ready to go on her first hunt. As she passed, the lionesses all wished her luck.

She approached her parents and nuzzled her mother. "You'll do fine," Nala reassured her.

"Thanks, Mom," Kiara replied. Then she turned to Simba, who was trying not to look like a nervous wreck. "Remember, Daddy," she said, "you have promise to let me do this on my own."

Simba paused a moment, turning to Nala as if to ask her what he should say. But obviously her face didn't give the answer he wanted and he sighed as he nodded acquiescingly.

Kiara smiled triumphantly and nuzzled against her father before turning to head out.

Simba, Nala and the lionesses all watched her as she left before turning to go on about their own business. Only Simba stood watching her as she went farther and farther out of sight.

After Nala was out of sight, Simba decided it was safe to call Timon and Pumbaa over.

"Whatcha need, Simba?" Timon asked.

"I want you to keep an eye on Kiara," Simba whispered to the meerkat and warthog. "Keep her safe."

With a salute, Timon hopped onto Pumbaa's back and they headed off to find the lion princess.

--

"Brandy!" Whiskers shouted, "you're naked!"

Brandy screamed and covered her eyes. "So are you!"

Whiskers shrieked and tried to cover himself. "Oh how embarrassing!"

Sky laughed at her friends. They had just teleported to the surface a moment ago, and she was almost regretting not warning them.

…Almost.

"Guys, you're not naked," she explained. "You're in new forms."

"New forms?" Brandy asked. She turned to see Sky, but found what looked like a blue-eyed lion cub with light brown fur and a red ponytail, with Sky's necklace around its neck.

"Sky? Is that you?" Whiskers asked.

Sky nodded. "Yup. In the Pride Lands we have to be animals to fit in. Er… that is, more like animals than you guys usually are."

Confused, Brandy looked down at herself. She was naked, except for her black collar, but… her body was different. And now she had paws instead of hands, and went on all fours. Worse yet, her fur felt all unkempt and dirty. "Ew, what am I?" she asked.

"If I had to guess," Sky replied, "I'd say you were a wild dog or a jackal, or something like that. And Whiskers looks like a jackrabbit."

"So my name's Jack now?" Whiskers asked, inspecting his much larger feet, small forepaws and his cute, fluffy body. He had also gotten quite a bit smaller.

Sky laughed. "No, Whiskers, it's not." She looked around at their surroundings and saw they had landed in a wide open field. Not too far off, they noticed a heard of antelope running from something.

"A lion!" Whiskers gasped. He hopped onto Brandy's back and tugged on her ears like they were reins. "Run, Brandy!"

"Whiskers…" Brandy growled--literally, "**Sky is a lion. Now get the heck off me!" She shook violently, throwing Whiskers to the ground.**

"Yeah, but she's just a cub!" Whiskers protested. "How can she protect us?"

"Oh, I dunno, maybe we could fight with our freaking magic weapons?!"

"Oh yeah…"

"No, wait," said Sky, "I know her! Come on!" With a smile, Sky headed towards the lioness, while Brandy and Whiskers struggled to keep up on their four legs.

"Kiara!" Sky called as they approached her. Kiara, who had been looking frustrated before, turned and smiled at the sight of Sky.

"Sky, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"It's a long story," Sky replied. "But how about you, what are you doing out here?"

Kiara smiled proudly. "I'm on my first hunt."

Sky gasped excitedly. "That is so cool! Have you caught anything yet?"

Kiara paused, looking a little embarrassed. "Well… not exactly." She looked over at Brandy and Whiskers and was happy to change the subject. "Who are your friends?"

"Oh. These are my friends Brandy and Mr. Whiskers." She nodded towards them. "Guys, this is Kiara."

"Nice to meet you, Kiara," they both said.

"Nice to meet you, too," she said. Then she turned to Sky again. "So how are Sora and Kairi?"

Sky sighed and gave a sad frown. "Well," she began, "that's why we're here…"

--

Not too far away, in a dry field, all seemed calm. But then, the Heartless appeared.

These Heartless, called Firestarters, lived up to their name. They were small, impish creatures with long, curved horns and little bat wings, with bright orange skin. They looked like a kind of devilish bat that went flying around the field, setting it ablaze.

Nearby, a lioness watched with an evil grin.

"Perfect…" the lioness Zira chuckled to herself. She had waited for this day for many years. She turned to the lion next to her. "The plan is in motion. Go!"

Without a word, the dark-furred lion rushed off, leaving Zira to laugh as the Heartless burned the entire field and the fire quickly spread.

--

Kiara frowned sadly once Sky had finished her story. "That's terrible," she said.

Sky nodded. "I know we'll find them, though, and stop Maleficent no matter what."

"I want to help any way I can," Kiara offered.

Sky smiled gratefully, but Brandy just rolled her eyes. "Great… a lioness that can't even hunt is gonna help fight Heartless…" But just then Brandy heard a rustling in the grass. She moved to get a closer look, and found a large pig-like creature crouched in the tall grass watching them.

"AAAHHH!!" Pumbaa screamed at being caught, causing Brandy to scream as well, and by the time their screams had died down everyone turned to the two newcomers.

"Timon? Pumbaa" Sky asked.

"Oh, hi, Sky!" Pumbaa greeted cheerfully.

"What are you two doing here?" Kiara demanded. If looks could kill, poor Timon and Pumbaa would have been roast pig with a side of meerkat salad.

"Oh, we were, uh… shopping!" Timon lied. "Yeah, we were gonna spruce up the den a bit. You know, use some throw pillows, put a little potpourri here and there…"

"My father sent you, didn't he?" Timon went silent, and that was all the answer Kiara needed. "He doesn't trust me…"

"No, Kiara, he just doesn't want you to get hurt."

Kiara didn't listen. She turned and rushed away angrily. "I'll do this on my own!" she called back. "Away from the Pride Lands!"

"Wait!" Sky called, chasing after her.

Timon and Pumbaa followed, and so did Brandy and Whiskers, albeit very slowly.

"How can a dog and a bunny not be used to going on all fours?" Whiskers asked, nearly out of breath.

"Just… shut up…" Brandy replied, "and run…!"

Kiara, not stopping to slow down for the slower animals, got a good lead on them and finally slowed down. Sky, however, managed to close the gap, and was soon at her side.

"Kiara, are you okay?" she asked.

"Of course not," Kiara replied. "My own father doesn't even trust me to hunt for myself. He had to send Timon and Pumbaa to watch me like a cub!"

Sky sighed a little understanding how she felt. "My dad can get like that, too."

"Not as bad as mine," Kiara muttered. "I've never once gone anywhere without him sending someone after me, or watching me like a hawk." The young lioness stopped and sat down, looking down at her forepaws.

Sky stopped and sat next to her. She tried to find something to say, but then her now extra sensitive nose caught a strange scent on the wind. "Do you smell that?" she asked.

Kiara lifted her head and sniffed the air. "Yeah," she replied. "It smells like…" she gasped. "…smoke."

Finally, Sky and Kiara were able to see the glow from the growing flames, and a heard of antelope ran towards them away from the fire.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Kiara said, and they turned to run, but suddenly found themselves surrounded by Heartless.

The Keyblade appeared in Sky's mouth, and she took a fighting stance, but then, to her surprise, they all attacked Kiara.

Kiara screamed and tried to fight them off, but there were too many. The strange thing, though, was that they didn't seem to be trying to hurt her. Just frighten her.

"Get off her!" Sky shouted, fighting them off as best she could. But when she attacked, the Heartless shifted their attention to her and attacked her. And this time they didn't hold back.

Still being bombarded by Heartless, and failing to fight them off, Kiara tried to run. She found a rock overhanging nearby and tried to climb, but the Heartless destroyed her footing and she fell unconscious to the ground.

Sky, seeing this, gasped and tried to rush to her, but the Heartless kept coming.

Just then, Sky heard a roar, and a large, dark furred lion leapt into the midst of the Heartless, swiping them away with his claws and biting them with his razor-sharp teeth.

Finally, Sky and the strange lion had defeated most of the Heartless, and the ones that survived disappeared.

Sky breathed a sigh of relief, but then she saw the lion approach Kiara. Quickly, she jumped between them. "Who are you?" she asked.

"You wanna waste time on introductions," the lion asked, "or do you want to save your friend's life? If we don't get her out of her soon those things will be back. Unless the fire gets here first, that is."

Sky looked down at Kiara's unconscious form. She hated to admit, but this lion definitely had a point. "Fine," she said, "we need to get her out of here and find my friends." Sky tried to nudge Kiara, but found the larger lioness too heavy.

Rolling his eyes the lion moved closer and gently lifted Kiara by the neck with his jaws, slipping under her and adjusting her till she was on his back. He nodded to Sky and the two headed away from the fire.

"By the way," Sky said as they ran, "my name's Sky."

The lion just nodded. "You can call me Kovu."

--

Dun-dun-dun! Can this strange new lion be trusted, or is he a part of the evil Zira's plot? And what IS her plot? Ah, screw it, anybody that's ever seen a Disney sequel knows the answer, anyway. -.- I hope you're enjoying this, tho!


	28. An Unwelcome Stranger

Well, another update at long last.

I apologize for how short this chapter is. I didn't intend it that way, but as I was continuing I felt it was getting too long, and it would be better if I ended it where I did.

So, anyway, enjoy!

(Still don't own anything here but Sky.)

Sky and Kovu finally managed to escape the fire, and Kovu set Kiara down on the ground. Sky nudged the lioness again, trying to rouse her, and Kiara's eyes finally fluttered open.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Sky said with a smile.

Kiara nodded and slowly got back to her feet, but when she saw Kovu she jumped into a defensive mode. "Who are you? She asked. "And where are we?"

"You're safe in the Pride Lands," Kovu replied.

Kiara frowned. "The Pride Lands? No! I wanted **_away_ from the Pride Lands! Who do you think you are?!"**

Kovu scoffed. "I think I'm the one who saved your life!"

"Um, I helped," Sky said meekly.

Kiara and Kovu both told her, "Stay out of this!" "Look," said Kiara," Sky and I would have been just fine without you."

Kovu laughed. "Didn't look that way from where I'm standing." Kovu tried moving to her right, but she jumped to the left. When he went left, she jumped to the right.

Kovu made a confused face and asked her, "What are you _doing_?"

Suddenly, a look of recognition came over Kiara's face. "Kovu?"

Kovu smiled and nodded his head. "Wait, you know each other?" Sky asked.

"Well, kind of," Kiara replied. "We met once, a long time ago. We were both cubs." But before she could explain further they heard a voice nearby.

"Kiara!" Simba called as he ran up to them, followed by Nala and the other lionesses. Timon, Pumbaa, Brandy and Whiskers were close behind. He jumped in front of Kiara defensively and growled at Kovu.

Kiara glared at her father. "You broke your promise," she said.

"It's a good thing I did," Simba replied. "I almost lost you!"

"But I was doing fine! Even before Kovu--"

"Kovu?" Simba turned to the dark furred lion and growled angrily. Kovu growled back and the two looked ready to pounce on each other.

"Wait!" Sky shouted. "Simba, listen!"

Simba turned to her with a look of surprise. "Sky? What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story, but listen. I don't know what your problem with Kovu is, but if it weren't for him Kiara and I might be dead now." When Simba gave her a confused look she continued. "We were attacked by Heartless. Kiara lost consciousness and I couldn't fight them alone. That's when Kovu jumped in and helped me fight, and get Kiara to safety."

Simba turned with a suspicious glare to Kovu. "Why did you help them?" he asked. "You were banished with the other Outsiders!"

Kovu lowered his head. "I have left the Outsiders," he explained. "I found out they were conspiring with those creatures. I wanted no part of it, and now I'm a rogue."

"Zira's using the Heartless?" Simba asked. Kovu nodded. "How am I supposed to believe you?"

"I'm telling the truth," said Kovu. "You can believe that… or am I to be condemned for a crime I didn't commit?"

Simba snarled and paced the ground, keeping an eye on Kovu.

"Simba," Nala said to him, "he saved your daughter's life, _and _our friend's daughter. We can't just turn him away."

Simba frowned. He didn't like it… but Nala was right. He paced a moment more before turning to Kovu. "Alright," he said, "I'll reserve judgment… for now. But we'll see who you _really_ are."

Kiara smiled, and Simba and the lions all turned toward Pride Rock. Sky, Brandy an Whiskers stayed close to Kiara, while Kovu followed behind the rest.

"Who is this guy?" Brandy asked in a hushed tone.

"He's an old friend of Kiara's," Sky replied. "At least… we hope he's a friend…" Sky turned to Kiara. "But who's Zira? And what's an 'Outsider?'"

"The Outsiders are lions who were banished for being loyal to Scar," Kiara explained. "Zira is their leader…" she turned to look back at the lion behind them, "and Kovu's mother."

Sky frowned. "Owch. Must not have had an easy childhood…"

"Wait," said Brandy, "so we're letting the son of this world's current villain come home for a sleepover?! Am I the only one who has a serious problem with this?"

"Brandy, give him a chance," Sky reprimanded.

"Fine…" Brandy sighed. "But I have a bad feeling about this…"

---

It was dark by the time they reached Pride Rock. In the meantime, Sky had explained to Simba about her parents, and how she, Brandy and Whiskers were on a quest to find Maleficent's castle.

Nala and the lionesses went inside to sleep, but as Kovu tried to enter Simba stepped in front of him. "You sleep outside," he told him. Kovu frowned, but moved away from the cave to lie down on the rock. Simba went inside, but Kiara approached Kovu, followed by Sky, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers.

"Um… thanks for saving me today," Kiara said to Kovu.

Kovu scoffed and stood up to face her. "What kind of hunter are you anyway… Princess? You almost got yourself killed out there." Next he turned to Sky. "And what about you? I'd think that weapon of yours would at least help, even if you are just a scrawny cub."

"Excuse me?" Sky asked, offended.

Kovu chuckled. "Neither one of you would last three days on your own. And that goes for the mutt and the bunny, too."

"Think he's talking about us, Brandy?" Whiskers asked.

Brandy rolled her eyes. "For your information, buster, Sky and I have fought thousands of Heartless, and have gotten along just fine without you. Whiskers? Well, I guess you have a point about him."

Kovu scoffed again. "I suppose you think _you_ could teach us?" Kiara asked him.

Kovu grinned at her. "Heh, yeah."

"Alright," said Kiara, "impress us. We'll start at dawn."

Kiara turned away from Kovu and walked into the cave, followed by Sky, Brandy and Whiskers. Kovu chuckled to himself as he lay back down for the night.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows of an old dead tree nearby, Zira watched everything with cold eyes. Next to her was a young lioness and a mangy lion without a mane, who looked on in shock as Kiara and Sky entered the cave, while Kovu did nothing.

"He let them go!" he shouted. "How could he just let them go like that?!"

"Quiet, Nuka!" Zira hissed at the lion.

"Don't you remember the plan?" Vitani, the young lioness, asked him. Nuka just looked confused a moment.

"The fire rescued worked perfectly," Zira said, as much to herself as to her son and daughter. "And Simba fell for it. The cub with the Keyblade almost ruined it, but fortunately she doesn't seem any more capable than you, Nuka."

"Yeah--hey!"

Zira ignored him and grinned evilly to herself. "Now, the closer Kovu gets to the daughter, the closer he gets to Simba! And once he has Simba alone…" she growled and swiped her claw at the tree-trunk, just barely missing Nuka's head.

"And then with Simba out of the way," Vitani continued, "nothing will stop the Heartless from taking over!"

Zira laughed. "And the Pride Lands will be ours again! Now let's go… Kovu should have everything well in paw…"


	29. Kings of the Past

Wow, that was quick, huh? Well, like I said in the last chapter, I was originally writing a much longer chapter last time, but divided it into two chapters, so most of this chapter was already done.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

(still don't own whatever Disney and/or Square-Enix owns...)

_"Simba…!" He could hear his name being called by a voice he thought he'd never hear again. "Simba…!"_

_Simba looked down, and there was his father, clinging to the side of the rock for dear life. Hoards of Heartless swarmed beneath him._

_No, that wasn't right… it was an antelope stampede, not Heartless…_

_"Simba… help me!" Mufasa called out._

_"Father!" Simba tried to jump down to help, but growled in pain when he felt sharp claws dig into his flesh and looked up to see Scar's evil grin._

_Simba still tried to reach Mufasa, but it was too late. Mufasa's grip gave way, and he fell into the gorge below._

_"No!!!" Simba yelled, echoing that terrible day, so many years ago. He turned to Scar with a growl, but to his surprise it was no longer Scar looking down at him… but Kovu. _

_Kovu laughed evilly, just before releasing his grip on Simba's paws, sending him tumbling to the gorge below, where darkness swallowed him up…_

---

"No!" Simba cried out, jumping up with a start. He looked around, relieved to find himself in he cave, next to Nala who was still sound asleep.

_Just a dream,_ he told himself. _Just a dream…_

Not feeling particularly sleepy anymore, Simba left Pride Rock and headed to the water hole for a drink. What he didn't know was that nearby, hiding behind a rock, was Kovu.

Kovu's teeth and claws were bared, and he was ready to pounce, but all of a sudden a face with a big, red nose jumped into his line of sight, grinning widely. "Hey, Kovu!" Whiskers greeted.

Kovu tried not to yell out in surprise at the jackrabbit, and turned to see Kiara, Sky and Brandy approaching as well. "Good morning," Said Sky. "Time for our first lesson?"

Kovu frowned and turned to the water hole again, only to find Simba already gone. He sighed heavily, but turned to Kiara and the others with a calm expression. "Alright," he replied. "Let's get started."

---

A little later, Brandy and Whiskers were running laps around the water hole, while Sky and Kovu sparred. In the background they could easily hear Kiara "sneaking" through the tall grass.

"How long do we have to keep this up…?" Whiskers gasped.

"As long as it takes," Kovu replied, dodging another swipe of the Keyblade. "You two act as if you don't know how to walk on your own four legs."

"We're more used to just two." Brandy huffed.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," Sky told him as she charged, only for Kovu to jump behind her and knock her into a nearby rock.

"You guys are pathetic," Kovu sighed. "Especially you, Kiara." He effortlessly stepped aside just as Kiara pounced from the tall grass, landing in the dirt. "Ow…" she moaned. She turned to Kovu with a sheepish grin. "You heard me, huh?"

"We all heard you," Brandy said as she and Whiskers came to a stop, falling down gasping for breath.

"You mean we weren't supposed to?" Whiskers asked.

Kovu sighed and shook his head. "I can't believe what I got myself into… between teaching you two to walk, Sky to fight, and Kiara to stalk, I might drive myself insane."

"Give us a break," Sky said, rubbing her head. "We're still kind of… new to this place."

"You mean this world?" Sky stared in shock at Kovu and he sighed. "I'm not stupid. I heard all about other worlds from the Outsiders. I heard about that Keyblade of yours, too." He turned to Kiara next. "That doesn't excuse you, though, Princess. You're still breathing too hard. Just relax… feel the earth beneath your paws… so it doesn't shift and make noise." Kovu demonstrated by setting forepaws onto the ground gently and silently.

Just then, a flock of birds flew overhead, landing just beyond a nearby hill.

"Watch the master and learn," Kovu told everyone, and crouched down. He silently approached the hill, making no sound whatsoever.

Suddenly, he pounced, but there, instead of the birds, was a screaming meerkat.

"Please don't eat me!" Timon begged Kovu as he cowered beneath him. "I never even met your tyrant--er, Scar! Oh, heck of a guy! A little moody, but…"

Kovu backed away just as Kiara and the others arrived. "Timon, what are you doing here?" Kiara asked him.

"Relax, Princess," said Timon, glad she was around to keep him safe from Kovu. "For once, we're not following you. This just happens to be the best smorgasbord in the Pride Lands. Bugs everywhere!" Everyone turned to see that the area was, indeed, literally crawling with bugs. Unfortunately, there was also a large number of birds eating all the bugs. "But, ya don't call for reservations and--Yeesh! Get outta here, ya scavengers!" He chased the birds, but they would just fly out of his way and land again. Nearby, Pumbaa kept running back and forth, yelling his head off, but the birds would just fly out of the way and land in the same spot again.

"Timon," said Pumbaa, "I'm getting tired…He turned to see Kovu standing there and smiled. "Hey, maybe he can help."

Timon rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, there's an idea! Let the vicious Outsider… Wait a minute! I got an idea… maybe he can help!"

Pumbaa looked confused. "What?"

Timon turned to Kovu with a smile. "How's about lending a voice? You know, roar!"

"Huh?" Kovu asked.

Kiara giggled. "Like this," she said, and she let out a loud roar which frightened the nearby birds into flight.

"Whoo-hoo!" Timon cheered. "Do it again!"

This time, Kovu roared, causing more birds to scatter, and Kiara laughed. "Come on!" she called, and ran after the birds. Sky laughed as well and ran after her, and Brandy, Whiskers, Timon and Pumbaa quickly followed. Kovu ran to catch up, looking confused.

"Let me try!" said Sky, and she opened her mouth to roar, but let out more of a "meow," causing everyone to laugh.

"I don't get it," said Kovu, "what is the point of this training?"

Kiara laughed again. "Training? This is just for fun!"

Kovu frowned, as if that were a word he'd never heard before. "Fun…?"

Everyone continued to chase after the flock of birds, laughing and whooping and hollering. After awhile, even Kovu got into the spirit of things, and let out a loud "yee-haw!"

They chased the birds down a ravine, but as they turned a corner they came face-to-face with a herd of rhinos, and had to grind to a halt. "Uh-oh…" Brandy said as they stared at the angry rhinos.

The rhinos snorted threateningly, and the group quickly turned on their heels and ran as the rhinos chased them away.

They ran down the ravine, the rhinos right on their heels, until Timon spotted a crack in the ravine wall that they all ducked into as the rhinos passed them by.

Once out of danger, the seven animals laughed again. "What a blast!" said Kovu.

Both Whiskers and Pumbaa look ashamed and said, "oh, sorry…"

"Eww!" Brandy shrieked as she pushed her way out. Sky laughed and made her way out as well, followed by Timon, Pumbaa and Whiskers. Last out were Kiara and Kovu, who accidentally touched noses and laughed nervously.

"Um, sorry…" said Kiara.

"Hey," Brandy called, "are you two coming or what?"

Still blushing, Kiara and Kovu nodded, and they group walked together. Sky didn't know is she was just imagining it, but she could have sworn she heard Kiara and Kovu… purring.

---

Later, after the sun had gone down, Kiara, Sky, Kovu, Brandy and Whiskers were laying in the grass, looking up at the stars.

"Look, Whiskers," said Kiara, "those stars look like a bunny."

"Yeah," Whiskers agreed, "they do! Wonder if I know him…"

Brandy sighed contentedly. "That one's the most beautiful," she said.

"Which one?" Sky asked.

"The one that looks like a brand-new designer purse from Paris." Brandy giggled and Sky rolled her eyes.

"Oh," said Kovu, "that one looks like two lions killing each other over a scrap of meat!" He laughed.

"Oh, that's not a foreboding sign at all," Brandy muttered sarcastically.

Kovu, having not heard Brandy, smiled. "Ah, I've never played this before."

"Really?" Sky asked. "I used to look at the stars with my dad all the time."

"Me, too," said Kiara, her voice a little more serious now. "My father says that the great kings of the past are up there, watching us."

Kovu paused a moment. "Do you think… Scar's up there?" Everyone turned to look at him, confused, and he got up and moved away from them. Kiara stood up and moved closer to him, a concerned look on her face.

"Nobody thinks he was great, do they?" Kovu asked. "He wasn't my father, but he was still… part of me…"

Kiara moved next to Kovu. "My father said that darkness had consumed Scar's heart," she said softly, "and it swallowed him."

Kovu sighed. "Maybe there's darkness in my heart, too."

Kiara gently placed her paw on Kovu's, and nuzzled him. He was surprised at first, but smiled.

Sky, thinking they needed a moment, walked away, taking Brandy and Whiskers with her.

---

Simba sighed as he watched Kiara and Kovu from a distance. He could tell they were getting closer… and it troubled him.

It was bad enough that Sora, Donald and Goofy had been captured, and that Zira was possibly controlling the Heartless… why did Kovu have to show up and make things even more complicated?

How could Simba trust him? He was one of them, and Scar's heir. How could he ever accept him into his Pride, his home…?

His family…?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Nala walk up behind him. "Simba?"

Simba sighed and turned to face her. "I'm seeking council from the great kings," he explained.

Nala nodded. "And what do they say?"

Simba shook his head. "Silent as stars… But my father would never--"

"Simba, you want so much to walk the path expected of you… Maybe Kovu doesn't."

Simba looked surprised. "How do you know…?"

Nala smiled. "I can see them down there as easily as you can. Get to know him and see." Nala walked away with a smile. Simba hesitated a moment, still watching Kiara and Kovu… but finally turned and followed Nala.

---

Kiara and Kovu continued nuzzling, but Kovu suddenly pulled away, looking troubled.

"What's wrong?" Kiara asked.

Kovu shook his head. "Nothing."

"Kovu…"

Kovu sighed. He felt so strange… the day seemed so different from every other day of his life… training to be a blood-thirsty killer, fighting for survival outside the Pride Lands, the constant hatred that he could feel from his own mother's heart… it was all he had known up to that day. But, Kiara… and Sky, Brandy and Whiskers, too… they had shown him something different. They showed him fun, and laughter, and friendship… and now… he thought he was feeling something else for Kiara. Something he had no name for.

He took a deep breath. "It's just… all my life I've trained to…" he stopped himself. He knew if he told her she would hate him. They all would… "Never mind. It's nothing. I've got to go."

He turned to leave, but heard Kiara call his name and turned to face her again.

Meanwhile, hidden in the grass nearby, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers watched the whole thing.

"We shouldn't be spying like this," Sky whispered.

"Aw, but they're so cute together," said Whiskers. "It's such a sweet moment… almost like they should break out into song at any minute!"

Brandy scoffed. "Yeah, right. But anyway, I still don't entirely trust Kovu."

"Brandy, how can you say that?" Sky asked.

"Forgive me if I don't automatically think the world of a guy raised by villains after a couple misadventures." Brandy turned to face Sky. "Something just seems fishy… I mean, have you noticed how the Heartless Zira supposedly has control of haven't been seen since the fire yesterday, when Kovu miraculously showed up to save the day?" She shook her head. "Sorry… but this just doesn't fit."

With that, Brandy and Sky turned to watch Kiara and Kovu again, but saw they were gone. "Where'd they go?" Sky asked.

"Oh," said Whiskers, "a monkey came and took them someplace."

"A monkey?" Brandy asked.

"Yeah."

"Where did he take them?"

"I dunno, someplace called… appendix, or UPS, or something… Hey, think they'll break into song there?"

---

Later, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers finally found Kiara and Kovu (where they went, they didn't say, but they seemed oddly happy…) and headed back to Pride Rock. Sky, Brandy and Whiskers headed inside, while Kiara lingered a moment with Kovu.

"Goodnight," she told him.

Kovu smiled at her. "Goodnight…"

Kiara smiled and turned to go into the cave. Kovu was about to lay down for the night, but to his surprise Simba stepped outside and walked up to him.

Simba was silent a moment, but finally he looked up at the sky and said, "kind of cold tonight, huh?" Kovu nodded and was surprised when Simba actually smiled at him. "Why don't you come inside?"

Now more surprised than ever, Kovu could hardly believe he had heard right, but Simba turned to go inside and gestured for him to follow.

And, smiling, Kovu did just that.

Meanwhile, however, Vitani was hidden in the shadows, watching her brother. She watched in excitement when she saw Simba walk out alone, waiting for Kovu to attack. "Come on, Kovu," she said in a hushed voice, "get him! Come on, what are you waiting for…?" But Kovu never attacked.

Confused, Vitani gave an annoyed growl and rushed to report to Zira. Once she had told her everything, Zira growled in frustration. "Are you sure?"

"Affirmative," Vitani replied, "I saw it with my own eyes."

Zira growled again, gritting her razor sharp teeth. "Kovu cannot betray us…"

Quickly, she began to formulate a backup plan…

---

Quick author's note here: The scene where Whiskers mentions the monkey (obviously Rafiki) taking Kiara and Kovu someplace called "appendix or UPS or something" is a joke referring to the scene from The Lion King 2 with the song "Upendi." If you never saw the movie, sorry for conusing you. lol


	30. Deception and Disgrace

Well, here's the last chapter of the Pride lands arc.

Not much else to say, so enjoy the chapter!

(I only own the characters I made up for this story, the rest are the property of Disney/Square-Enix.)

"I have to tell her," Kovu said to himself as he paced in front of the cave opening. It was early, and no one else was up yet.

Even in the warm cave, Kovu found he couldn't sleep. He was too tormented by his guilt, so he left the cave to think, and try and decide what to do. But that was easier said than done.

"Where do I start?" he asked himself. "'Kiara… Zira had a plot, and I was a part of it… but I don't want to be, because… because I love you.'" Kovu shook his head and sighed. "She'll never believe me…"

"Who won't?" Kovu jumped in surprise and turned around fast to see Brandy standing there. "Who won't believe what?" she asked again.

"Uh… nothing," Kovu lied, hoping she hadn't heard too much. Sky, Kiara and Whiskers also came out of the cave, and Kovu approached Kiara, mustering up all his courage.

"Good morning," Kiara told him with a smile.

"Kiara, I need to talk to you," he told her, but then Simba stepped out, a stern look on his face.

"Kiara, I don't want you talking to him," said Simba. Then his face softened and he smiled. "_I_ want to talk with him."

Kovu seemed surprised, but Kiara smiled and nodded to her father. Simba approached Kovu and motioned for him to follow as he left Pride Rock. Kovu hesitated, wanting to talk to Kiara, but she urged him on silently and he followed Simba.

"What was that about?" Whiskers asked.

Kiara turned to Sky with a smile. "Do you think he's actually beginning to trust Kovu?"

Sky smiled back. "Maybe."

"I hope so." Kiara turned to watch Simba and Kovu as they walked away.

Brandy also watched them. She didn't know what Kovu was talking about earlier, but it sounded suspicious. When Kiara, Sky and Whiskers headed back into the cave she stayed outside watching Simba and Kovu.

_I still don't trust him,_ she thought, and made up her mind to follow, just in case.

---

Simba led Kovu to the burned, ashy remains of the field that had burned two days before, and Simba spoke to Kovu as they walked, relating the true story of how Scar had tried to use the Heartless to take over the Pride Lands.

"Scar couldn't let go of his hate," Simba explained. "In the end, he became so tainted by darkness that the Heartless consumed his heart."

"I've never heard the story of Scar that way…" Kovu admitted, surprised at the atrocities Scar had committed against his own family. "He truly was a killer."

Simba nodded solemnly. He stopped and looked down at the bare, scorched earth at his paws. "Fire is a killer," he said. "But sometimes what's left behind after a fire can grow better than what came before…" as he spoke, Simba pushed away the dirt and ashes, revealing a young plant, "…if it's given the chance."

Kovu looked down at the plant and smiled. Simba smiled as well.

But suddenly, a ring of Heartless appeared around them, closing them in from all sides. Both lions got into attack positions, but then they heard a familiar laugh. The Heartless parted momentarily to allow a three lions to enter. One was a wicked-looking lioness through who laughed as she approached Simba.

"Why, Simba," Zira said with a grin, "what are you doing out here so… alone?" Simba growled at her, but she just laughed again. "Well done, Kovu. Just as we planned…"

Simba gasped in surprise and turned on Kovu with a growl. "You!"

Kovu shook his head. "No! I didn't have anything to do with this!"

Zira laughed again and ordered the Heartless to attack, but just as the first lunged for him it was struck by a shield.

Brandy jumped in front of Simba protectively. "What are you doing here?" Simba asked her.

"I knew that snake in lion's clothing was up to something." She replied. The Heartless attacked again and Simba and Brandy fought them off. Kovu tried to help, but a large Heartless threw him aside and he was knocked unconscious.

"This way!" Simba called, and ran toward a ravine. Brandy followed and they slid down to the bottom, but Zira, Nuka, Vitani and the Heartless were close behind.

Kovu, meanwhile, had regained consciousness and rushed to the edge of the ravine.

Simba and Brandy found themselves trapped against a tall stack of logs at the end of the canyon. With the Heartless still following, Simba grabbed Brandy's collar in his teeth and climbed up.

Kovu reached the ledge above in time to see them, and Zira called out, "get them, Kovu! Do it now!" But Kovu didn't move. He watched Simba and Brandy climb, his face etched with worry.

Nuka jumped to the logs and began to climb, laughing manically. "I'll do it for you, mother!" he called out, climbing swiftly after Simba.

He soon gained on them, just as Simba was almost at the edge, and grabbed Simba's ankle. Simba threw Brandy up onto the ledge. "Get out of here!" he told her.

But Brandy didn't move. She summoned her shield and threw it with her mouth. It flew through the air like a Frisbee and turned sharply to strike the logs beneath Nuka's feet, causing him to lose his footing and fall. Brandy pulled Simba up quickly, and the two ran off towards Pride Rock.

Nuka fell to the bottom of the ravine again and became trapped under the logs, unable to move out of the way as an avalanche came crashing down on him.

Kovu looked on in horror as the logs fell, as did Zira and Vitani. He rushed down as fast as he could to push the logs away, but Zira pushed him aside and dug herself until she finally uncovered Nuka. He lay there, gasping for air, and struggled to lift his head to look at Zira who, for the first time, appeared to have a look of sadness and compassion on her face. "I'm sorry, Mother…" he gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "I tried…"

Zira placed her paw on his face, gently shushing him.

"I finally got your attention, didn't I…?" Nuka asked with a weak smile. "Didn't I…?" He gave one final gasp and closed his eyes. What little there was of Zira's heart sank when she felt Nuka's head droop, and knew he was gone.

Vitani and Kovu looked on sadly as their brother breathed his last, Vitani struggling to hold back tears.

How could it come to this, Kou wondered. It seemed like just yesterday he, Vitani and Nuka were still young, training together… and now…

Zira gave a low growl and turned on Kovu. "You!" she roared, and before he knew it she reared back and hit his face with her claws. He looked away in pain, but when he turned his face to her again she gasped to see a wound over his left eye.

"What have you done?!" Zira demanded.

Kovu looked sadly at Nuka's body, but turned to his mother with a defiant glare. "I did nothing," he told her.

"Exactly!" Zira roared. "And in doing nothing you betrayed your pride! Betrayed Scar!"

Kovu growled at the mention of his name. "I want nothing more to do with him!"

"You cannot escape it. Your actions killed Nuka!"

"No…"

"You killed your own brother!"

"No!" Kovu roared and ran off down the ravine. The Heartless were about to give chase, but Zira stopped them.

"Let him go," she said. "Simba has hurt me for the last time! Listen to me!" she turned to Vitani, who still had a look of grief and shock on her face. "Simba is injured and weak, and without him the cub with the Keyblade will stand no chance against the Heartless. Now is the time to attack! We'll take his entire kingdom… by force!"

---

Kiara, Sky and Whiskers were busy looking everywhere for Brandy, when Whiskers noticed something in the distance.

"What's that?" Whiskers asked.

Kiara and Sky turned to look, and they gasped when they realized what it was. "Father!" She ran towards him as fast as she could.

Sky noticed Brandy with him, and turned to Whiskers. "Go get help, quick!" she told him, and ran towards Simba and Brandy.

They were both battered and bruised, and terribly exhausted. Simba could barely walk without Brandy helping him to stand. Kiara rushed to his side with a worried look on her face. "What happened?" She asked.

Simba winced in pain. "Kovu…" he whispered. "Ambush…" Before he could say anything else, he collapsed.

"Ambush?" Sky asked. "You mean Kovu…?"

Brandy nodded. "I followed them… he led Simba right into a trap. I knew he couldn't be trusted!"

Sky and Brandy worked together to hoist Simba onto their backs and drag him back to Pride Rock. Kiara followed, but on her face was a look of disbelief. It can't be true… she thought to herself. It can't be…

---

All the animals watched with disdain as Kovu approached Pride Rock, and whispered about the mark on his face. "Look," they said, "It's Kovu. What's he doing here? And look at his scar…"

Kiara heard the animals talking and looked down to see Kovu approaching. Simba, having been given a potion by Mr. Whiskers, also heard, and looked down angrily.

Timon growled angrily to see him. "Why, I aughta… let me at 'im, let me at 'im!" He held his tail up to Whiskers. "Here, hold me back."

"Okay," Whiskers said as he held Timon's tail.

"Let me at 'im, let me at I'm!"

"Okay, Whiskers said again, releasing Timon's tail.

Timon sighed and turned to him. "I think you're missing the basic point here…"

"Why have you come back?" Simba demanded.

Kovu looked up pleadingly at him. "Simba, I swear I had nothing to do with--"

"You don't belong here!" Simba growled.

"Please… I ask your forgiveness."

"Daddy, please listen to him," Kiara pleaded.

"Yeah, Simba," said Sky, "hear him out."

"Silence, both of you," Simba told them sternly, and turned his attention back to Kovu. "When you first came here, you asked for judgment. And I pass it now…"

"Give him what he deserves!" Brandy shouted, earning a glare from Sky.

Kovu looked up with pleading eyes at Simba, but the lion king would not be moved. He had made up his mind. "Exile!"

"No!" Kiara cried, but it was too late. As one, the animals turned on Kovu, hounding him away from Pride Rock and out of the Pride Lands.

Kiara watched in horror as he was chased away, and turned to Simba. "Father, please reconsider," she begged.

"You're not to go anywhere without an escort from now on," Simba told her.

"But that's not--"

"He used you to get to me!"

Kiara shook her head. "No! He loves me!"

"Because you are my daughter! Now you are not to leave Pride Rock. You'll stay where I can keep an eye on you--away from him!" He turned to Sky next. "Sky, I want you to stay with Kiara, in case the Heartless attack."

"But Simba," Sky objected, "what if you need my help?" Simba didn't reply.

Angered, Kiara ran to her den. Sky, Brandy and Whiskers followed.

"Are you okay?" Whiskers asked her.

Kiara wiped tears from her eyes and shook her head. "He doesn't know Kovu… I know he's not evil, I know it!"

"Tell that to the Heartless that almost made a snack out of me," said Brandy.

Sky gave Brandy a reproachful glare and turned to Kiara. "He's just concerned, Kiara," she said gently. "That's just what fathers do." Kiara didn't reply.

"Sky, do you think Kovu meant to betray Simba?" Whiskers asked.

Sky paused a moment, thinking. "I think it might have started out that way… but why did he come back? I think he's changed, just like Long John Silver or Xanatos."

Kiara sighed and looked up at a small bit of light shining through a crack in the wall. Looking closer she noticed it was part of a bigger hole, closed up by small rocks, and began pushing them away.

"Um, what are you doing?" Brandy asked her.

"I'm going to find him," Kiara answered. "And don't try to stop me!"

"But Kiara, you don't even know where he is," Sky told her. "And the Heartless might be out there waiting." Kiara didn't listen, and instead continued to push the rocks away. She was surprised, though, when Sky began helping her.

"What are you doing, Sky?" Kiara asked her.

"If you insist on going," Sky replied, "then I'm going with you."

"Sky, that's crazy," said Brandy.

Sky turned back to Brandy and said in a hushed voice, "Kiara's going whether I go with her or not. At least this way she won't be alone." Brandy opened her mouth to object, but Sky put her paw over her mouth. "Look, I know you don't trust Kovu, but you can trust me. Now you and Mr. Whiskers stay here and I'll try to be back soon, okay?"

"Are you sure about this, Sky?" Whiskers asked.

Sky had to think about her answer. It was crazy, she knew, but Kiara's mind seemed made up. And Sky knew that, if she were in Kiara's place, nothing would stop her from looking for Koji… Finally, she nodded her head. "I am."

Brandy and Whiskers traded worried glances, but turned to her with a nod of their heads. "Okay," said Brandy, "but you'd better come back soon, or we're coming after you."

Sky smiled. "I promise."

Pushing away the last rock, Kiara and Sky squeezed through the hole in the wall and snuck away from Pride Rock. They followed the path Kovu had taken from Pride Rock, but could find no sign of him.

They looked everywhere, in the ravine where they had fled the rhinos, in the field where they trained, and all the way out to the wastelands, but with no sign of Kovu anywhere.

"I'm starting to regret this decision…" Sky said as she stretched her aching legs. The sun had gone down, and every minute they were away she was afraid the Heartless would attack Pride Rock.

"I'm sorry, Sky," Kiara told her. "It's unfair of me to drag you along."

Sky gave Kiara a reassuring smile and shook her head. "No, no, it's not your fault. I'm the one who decided to come along, remember?"

Kiara nodded. "But still…"

"Look, Kiara, I know you care about Kovu… and I know what it's like to be separated from someone you care about. We'll find him, I promise."

Kiara smiled appreciatively at Sky. "Thank you." Sky smiled back, but Kiara's smile faded when she noticed a Heartless appear behind Sky. "Look out!"

Sky spun around fast, just in time to summon the Keyblade and strike the Heartless, but more appeared and surrounded them. Sky clenched the Keyblade in her teeth and jumped into battle.

Kiara tried to fight as well, but the Heartless ganged up on her. Just when it appeared they would overtake her, however, there was a loud roar and the Heartless were thrown aside, and Kiara looked up to see a familiar face. "Kovu!"

Kovu smiled at her, but the Heartless were still attacking so he didn't stop to say hello. He jumped on the Heartless, swatting them away with his claws, and between him and Sky the dark creatures were soon defeated.

"Are you alright?" Sky asked Kiara, who nodded in reply. Sky turned to Kovu with a smile. "Talk about good timing!"

Kovu grinned. "Aw, it was nothing." Kiara laughed and nuzzled against him, purring softly, and Kovu returned her embrace.

"What are you two doing out here?" Kovu asked them.

"Looking for you, of course," Kiara replied. "I couldn't just let you go like that…" Kovu smiled nuzzled Kiara's cheek.

Sky smiled to see them, but began to feel like a third wheel and cleared her throat to get their attention. "So what now?" she asked.

Kovu thought for a moment. "What if Kiara and I went with you to another world?" he said. "We could start over somewhere else, away from the Heartless and all the fighting."

Sky scratched the back of her head nervously. "Well… I don't know if Brandy and Mr. Whiskers would be too happy with the ship so crowded…" Suddenly, Sky's eyes went wide. "Brandy and Whiskers! I've got to get back and help them fight the Heartless!" She was about to run back toward Pride Rock, but stopped to turn toward Kovu and Kiara again. "Kovu, you and Kiara will be okay, right? I'm sorry to go, but I can't leave my friends to fight alone."

Kiara became thoughtful when she heard Sky say that. She realized that that's exactly what she had done--left her family to fight alone. Suddenly her anger at her father gave way to concern.

"Kovu, we have to go back," she said. Our place is with our pride. Sky's family was taken from her… we can't let the same thing happen to us, not when we can stop it. The Heartless won't stop till they've destroyed everything."

Kovu seemed unsure, but after a moment's thought he nodded in agreement. "You're right," he said.

Sky smiled at them both. "Come on, then," she said, "let's go!"

---

"I can't believe we lost her again!" Timon cried. "This is the eight-thousandth time!"

"Way to go, Whiskers," Brandy said flatly, "way to go."

"I didn't mean to tell!" said Whiskers. "Timon and Pumbaa dragged it out of me!"

"They walked in and said 'hi' and you broke down and told them everything!"

"Yeah… I'm no good at keeping secrets."

"This is all your fault, you dumb mutt!" Timon shouted at Brandy. "You were supposed to help watch her!"

"Who are you calling a mutt, you rat?" Brandy snapped back.

"You, ya mutt!"

"That's it!" Brandy jumped on Timon and they became engulfed in a cloud of dust, kicking and biting and yelling while Whiskers and Pumbaa looked on in horror.

"What are you doing?" At the sound of Simba's voice, Timon and Brandy stopped mid-fight and turned to see him enter the den.

Jumping away from Brandy, Timon laughed nervously and tried not to shake. "Oh, uh, nothing!" he lied. "But, um, the dog and bunny here wanted to tell you something, didn't you, Brandy?"

Brandy glared daggers at Timon, but laughed nervously when Simba's gaze fell on her. "Um, uh… we kinda have a question," she stammered. "A hypothetical question!"

"We do?" Whiskers asked, only to receive a kick from Brandy.

"See," Brandy continued, "there's this guy…"

"But he's not a lion!" Whiskers added, catching on.

"Oh, no! Definitely not a lion! And let's just say this guy's daughter, um… vanished?"

"Kiara's gone?" Simba demanded. Brandy and Whiskers flinched, but before Simba could say anything else Nala ran into the den.

"Simba," she said, "Zira and the Outsiders are headed this way, and they have an army of Heartless with them!"

"Where's Sky?" Simba asked.

"She went with Kiara," Brandy replied.

Simba sighed heavily. "Nala, let's gather the lionesses. The rest of you, come with me and get ready for battle. Move, now!"

---

A storm gathered as Kovu, Kiara and Sky returned to the Pride Lands. When they neared Pride Rock they saw two opposing armies, Simba and the Lionesses, with Timon, Pumbaa, Brandy and Whiskers, staring down Zira and the Outsiders. Heartless were swarming everywhere.

"We're not too late!" said Kiara.

"Then let's get down there," said Kovu, and they rushed toward the battle field, just as they two sides collided.

The battle was fierce, and the opposing sides fought viciously. Sky and Kovu fought through the Heartless, trying to find Simba, and they soon saw him in the middle of the battle field, facing off against Zira.

Zira grinned maliciously at Simba, baring her razor sharp teeth.

"It's over, Simba," she told him. "I have dreamed of nothing else for years!"

Simba growled, digging his claws into the ground, ready to pounce, but before he or Zira could make the first move Kiara and Kovu jumped between them.

"Kovu!" Zira growled. "Get out of the way!"

"Stand aside," Simba told Kiara.

Kiara shook her head. "This has to stop," she said.

Zira frowned menacingly at Kovu. "You're even weaker than I thought. Get out of the way!"

"You'll never hurt Kiara or Simba," Kovu told her. "Not while I'm here."

As Kiara and Kovu stood between their parents, the other lions stopped fighting and turned to look at them. Sky stood nearby, ready to help if necessary.

"Stay out of this!" Simba ordered Kiara.

Kiara stood her ground. "A wise king once told me 'we are one.' I didn't understand what he meant, but now I do."

"But, they…"

"Them… us. Look at them! They are us! Look around, what differences do you see?" Simba did look around. He saw several lions… but he couldn't tell who was a friend and who was an enemy. "We all have hearts," Kiara continued, "hearts that can be broken or tainted, or they can be healed and filled with kindness and love. The only difference between our pride and the Outsiders is that their hearts have been forced into darkness, just like Scar."

As Kiara spoke, the Outsiders all looked around at each other, confused. Why had they hated Simba's pride for so long? All it had gotten them was suffering in the outlands. Vitani stepped forward, and looked at Kovu and Kiara. Maybe, she thought, they were right.

Simba thought the same thing. He hated to admit it… but Kiara was right. He smiled at his daughter and nuzzled her affectionately, and Kiara purred.

Zira, however, was unmoved, "Vitani!" Zira called. "Attack!"

"No, Mother," Vitani replied softly. Zira gaped at her in surprise, but Vitani moved over to Kovu and Kiara and stood with them. "Kiara's right."

Zira stared in shock at Vitani. How could not one, but two of her own children betray her! But, to her horror, it wasn't just Vitani and Kovu. All the Outsiders moved to Simba's side. They had had enough of the hatred and the fighting.

"Where are you going?" Zira demanded. "Get back here!"

"It's over, Zira," said Simba. "It's time to put the past behind us."

Zira roared in anger. "I'll never let it go!" At the sound of her voice, the Heartless appeared around her. Sky, Kovu, Brandy and Whiskers prepared for battle. "Destroy them all!" Zira commanded. But the Heartless remained motionless. "Didn't you hear me?! I said destroy them!" As one, the Heartless turned on Zira, staring at her with their empty eyes. Suddenly, they all jumped her, piling on top of her as she screamed.

Kiara gasped and rushed towards Zira to try and throw the heartless off, but Kovu cut her off. Sky was about to jump in to save Zira, but the lioness' screams suddenly turned to laughter. There was a bright flash of light, and when it faded the Heartless were no longer there. Zira stood there smiling dementedly, laughing to herself.

"Now I don't need anyone," she growled. "Now I can destroy you myself! And then I'll join Scar in the darkness!"

Suddenly, her fur turned pitch black, and her eyes glowed bright red. Black flames formed around her head and paws, and her fangs became longer and sharper.

She turned her cold, lifeless gaze upon Kiara and lunged for her, but Simba pushed her out of the way, taking the full force of the blow.

"Daddy!" Kiara cried as she and Nala rushed to Simba's side. Zira turned to Simba again, looking ready to attack, but Sky, Kovu, Brandy and Whiskers jumped in her way.

"Mother, stop this!" Kovu pleaded.

"It's no use, Kovu," Sky told him. "She's gone. There's nothing but a Heartless left…"

Kovu frowned sadly, but nodded his head. "Then there's only one thing I can do for her now."

Sky nodded and summoned the Keyblade. Zira lunged for them, but Sky hit her with the Keyblade, causing her to flip over and fall on her back. She soon got back to her feet and charged again, and this time Kovu met her head-on, swiping at her with his claws, but she countered with her own claws which pulsated with dark energy.

Kovu was pushed back, injured, but Brandy gave him a potion and he got back to his feet. "Sky!" he called, and Sky jumped to his side. Together, they rushed Zira, and hit her with a barrage of claws and fangs.

Zira faltered, obviously weakened, and Sky delivered the final blow. Zira finally fell, and her body faded away, releasing her captive heart.

Kovu watched it float away and sighed sadly for his mother. But when he heard Simba groan he turned to see him getting back to his feet and smiled. He approached Simba and Kiara, his head bowed slightly, but Simba smiled at him.

"Kovu," he said, "I was wrong about you. You belong here." Kovu smiled, and Kiara nuzzled him happily.

"Looks like things turned out alright after all," Sky said with a smile.

Simba turned to her and nodded his head. "Thanks in no small part to you, Sky. I'm sure if Sora could have seen you, he would have been as proud of you as I am of Kiara."

Sky smiled. "Thanks, Simba." She moved closer to give Simba a quick nuzzle (since she found it hard to hug as a lion) but she and Simba suddenly began to glow. Images of Sora and Simba fighting the Heartless together, and Sora's first adventures in the Pride Lands filled Sky's mind, and the Keyblade floated into the air and a light came out of it which shined on Sky and Simba before fading away again.

"What's with that thing and the fancy light shows?" Timon asked.

"I must have purified the Gaia," Sky said to Brandy and Whiskers.

"So we have to go again?" Whiskers asked.

Sky nodded. "I guess so." She turned to Simba, Nala, Kiara and Kovu. "We'll be back soon though. Do you think you'll be okay?"

Simba nodded. "Be careful Sky, and good luck finding Sora and the others. And remember, we're always here if you need us."

Sky thanked Simba, and she, Brandy and Whiskers went on their way again. Sky just hoped that things would be better now that the Pride Lands were whole again.


	31. Soulblade, or, The Return

Sorry for the long wait, everyone. It's just lately life has been... bleh, so it's hard to make myself sit and write, you know?

But, this chapter's pretty long and thrilling, with some familiar faces, so hopefully you'll enjoy it. :)

(I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any Disney/Square-Enix characters.)

---

As the ship entered hyperspace, Sky, Brandy and Whiskers discussed the events of their most recent adventure, while Gadget busied herself with the journal.

"Golly," said Gadget, "it's strange, but we haven't encountered anyone directly associated with Maleficent in a long time."

"You're right," Whiskers agreed. "Does that mean we beat all her friends?"

Sky shook her head. "I doubt it. Over the past twenty-some years she's never had any trouble digging up other villains to use in her schemes. All the same, we need to work harder to find her castle and take her out once and for all."

"You know what I want to know?" Brandy asked. "I'd like to know what happened to that Will jerk. We haven't seen him since we left the Protectorate."

Sky immediately frowned at the mention of his name. "I hope we don't see him, either," she growled. She could still remember the cruel way he taunted her, tried to make her think she had lost her family… as far as she was concerned, she would never forgive him, no matter what.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the blinking light of Cid's "press me!" button, which Sky pressed after a moment.

"Howdy, kids," Cid greeted as his face appeared before them.

"What," Sky asked, "no heart-attack-inducing yelling? You're losing your touch, Gramps."

Cid shrugged his shoulders. "That joke was gettin' old. Anyway, Aerith wants you guys to head back, ASAP. Says she's got some vital information for ya."

"What is it?" Sky asked.

"And so help me, Cid," Brandy growled, "I've had enough suspense, so just tell us!"

"Relax, dog-girl," Cid said, holding up his hands. "I ain't in a mysterious mood today. Aerith said it was somethin' to do with Xeh--" Suddenly, the transmission was dropped.

"Typical," Brandy sighed.

"Wait a sec," said Gadget, "something's wrong. The transmission between the ship and Radiant Garden should be pretty strong. Something must have affected it."

"Like what?" Sky asked, but suddenly she felt the whole ship begin to shake, and suddenly it jolted and everyone had to hold on to keep from being thrown to the floor.

"What in the name of Ub Iwerks was that?!" Whiskers demanded.

"Something must be attacking from behind!" Gadget replied.

Suddenly the ship jolted again and Sky strapped herself in, grasping the controls. "So much for a relaxing joyride," she muttered. She pulled back on the controls and the ship began to climb up and back. Once the ship was upside-down she spun it so that it was right side-up again and facing their enemy.

There she saw another ship, which was similar to their own but completely black. The ship continued to fire at them, so Sky quickly shot back, but the black ship maneuvered too fast and dodged each shot. It fired again and shot one wing off of the ship, sending it into a spiral.

"Hold on!" Sky shouted as she tried to regain control.

The ship fell towards a large, yellow asteroid, one of the many strange, gigantic bodies floating through hyperspace. Merlin had once hypothesized that these structures were fragments of long-dead worlds, which had somehow been transformed by the strange dimension into the substance gummi ships were made from, but as the ship fell Sky didn't have time to ponder this theory. She struggled to right the ship, but to no avail.

With a loud crash the ship collided with the asteroid and rolled along for a minute before finally coming to a stop on its side.

Sky coughed as dust and smoke filled the cockpit. "Is everyone okay?" she called out.

"I'm okay," Gadget called back, and Brandy echoed with, "me, too."

Whiskers, however, cried out in anguish. "I'm blind!"

"Whiskers," Sky said, trying to keep her patience, "you're not blind, your ears are covering your eyes!"

Whiskers moved his ears and, sure enough, he could see again. "Oh. Well, that's a relief!"

Sky sighed and got out of her seat. She was about to ask Brandy and Whiskers to help her right the ship when she happened to look out the cockpit window to see the black ship land nearby. The door opened, and a figure stepped outside. Sky frowned angrily when she saw who it was.

"You alive, Sky?" Will called. "I hope so. I'd hate to think a little crash like that could stop you after all you've been through!"

"How is he outside his ship and still alive?" Brandy asked as she peered out at him with Sky. "Shouldn't his head have frozen or blown up or something?"

"Hyperspace isn't the same as outer space," Gadget explained. "It's not an empty vacuum, it's another plane of existence between worlds. It still takes a lot of strength to survive in its environment unprotected, though."

Sky didn't pay attention to Gadget. She just glared at the beast standing across from them, his feet planted firmly on the yellow surface of the asteroid.

"Come on, Sky," Will called again, sounding genuinely annoyed. "I've had enough tip-toeing around each other. Let's get this over with!"

Sky scowled at him as she prepared to summon the Keyblade and jump out to grant his wish, but Whiskers placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe we shouldn't just rush out and fight him," he suggested.

"I hate to admit," said Brandy, "but he's right. Our ship's damaged, we're in the middle of hyperspace, we're still tired from the last fight… we can't just let our anger make us do anything stupid."

Sky frowned a moment longer, but let out a long sigh. "When did you two get so smart?" she asked, trying to grin.

"We're not," Whiskers admitted, "truth be told we're just trying to keep you safe." Brandy nodded in agreement.

Sky smiled--genuinely, this time--and nodded as well. "Alright," she said. "Let's just go out there and try talking. If anything, it should at least give us time to think of a good strategy."

"And Sky?" Sky turned her attention to Brandy as she spoke. "No matter what he says, don't let him get to you, okay?"

Sky nodded. After taking a deep breath she opened the cockpit door and stepped out onto the asteroid surface. Just as Merlin theorized, the asteroid seemed soft and rubbery, just like parts of a gummi ship, although the footing was solid enough. Sky, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers stood in front of their ship, staring down their long-time enemy.

And one-time friend, Sky couldn't help but think, despite all the hatred she could feel swelling in her heart.

"Glad to see you're not hurt," Will said to her.

"Save it," Sky spat. "What's your game this time, Will?"

"Simple." Will threw aside his purple cloak and drew a menacing-looking sword. "Maleficent ordered me to bring you to her," he said. "And she wants you alive… or dead."

"So what else is new?" Sky dead-panned. "And don't think that fancy new sword's going to help, cause nothing is more powerful than the Keyblade!"

"Maybe," Will said, and for once he had no cocky, self-assured tone in his voice. "But it's not meant for you…" Suddenly, Will lifted the sword and it began to glow bright green. Sky heard a sharp gasp and turned to see Brandy and Whiskers each grasping their chest and dropping to their knees as if in pain. "What are you doing to them?!" Sky demanded.

Will frowned, as if he, himself was troubled by the events unfolding. "It's called a Soulblade," he explained. "Maleficent has been working on it ever since Xehenort's Heartless used Riku's body and wielded the Keyblade which unlocked people's hearts. She wanted a similar power. However," he paused a moment, closing his eyes, "she stumbled across something entirely different. She couldn't make a Keyblade, but when she tried to make a sword with similar powers, she somehow found a spell that would affect a person's very soul."

Sky looked helplessly as her friends struggled against the pain in their bodies. "What does that mean? What's happening to them!" She gasped as she noticed Brandy and Whiskers seemed to age before her very eyes.

"The soul," Will continued, "is the life-force, controlled by the heart. It flows through a person, just like blood. What the Soulblade does… is tamper with that flow. It halts it, speeds it up, reverses it, whatever. When your soul's flow is disrupted… it has terrible consequences on the body."

"Stop it!" Sky screamed, horrified at the torment her friends were being put through. "Leave them alone!"

Will frowned again and lowered the Soulblade. Almost immediately Brandy and Whiskers fell limp, gasping for air as if something had been strangling them. Sky breathed a sigh or relief as they returned to their former appearances.

She turned to glare at Will, her lips pulled back in anger. "You monster!"

Will frowned back. "I don't like it any better than you do," he admitted. "Maleficent's done some terrible things… but creating something that tampers with a person's soul… it's unnatural…"

"And you're helping her!" Sky shot back. "You're the one wielding that thing, not her!"

"Maybe so… but it's too late for me, anyway. If I want to have any hope of freeing myself from Maleficent's servitude I have no choice."

"Fine," Sky growled and summoned the Keyblade. "You weren't always evil, Will… but you've crossed the line. You say there's no hope for you…" her grip on the Keyblade tightened, "then I guess there is none." Suddenly, she raised the Keyblade and charged for Will who raised the Soulblade to block her attack, then pushed her away and swung it at her. Sky parried again, and jumped up out of the way when Will tried to thrust the sword right into her.

Sky landed behind him and turned to block another attack. It surprised her how well he fought with a sword, after having only fought against his strength and claws, but she dug her boots into the gummi asteroid and pushed against him, throwing him off balance long enough to lift the Keyblade and bring it down, striking the Soulblade with a loud, metallic scrape, sending sparks flying.

The force of the blow sent Will to his knees, and Sky lifted the Keyblade again, higher this time, determined to bring it down again with more force than ever.

But just as the Keyblade was at the height of its ark above her head, Will thrust the Soulblade up, stabbing her directly in the chest. Sky stopped and gasped at the sudden pain, and with a look of horror realized Will had been trying to get her to open her defenses.

And it worked, she realized as blood stained her shirt and tears involuntarily fell down her cheeks.

Will looked at the blood which flowed from around the end of the Soulblade, still buried in her chest. The heart on her shirt disappeared, replaced by a large, red blotch, and to Will's surprise… the sight sickened him. He had trained his whole life in the art of fencing, had practiced fighting for years and battled several enemies under Maleficent's command… but he had never drawn blood before.

Sky gasped at the pain in her body, but a chill ran down her spine, followed by a horrible, gut-wrenching sensation she couldn't identify. It wasn't pain, but it felt just as bad. She felt as if everything inside her mind darkened, and she felt the very energy in her body bunching and twisting, fading away one moment and then growing unbearably powerful the next. She could feel her skin crawling and her hair stand on end.

The Soulblade is doing this, she realized. This must have been what Brandy and Whiskers had felt.

Will watched Sky as her hair went stark white and her skin turned pale and seemed to hang loosely on her body. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and body became limp. Suddenly, Will's nerve abandoned him and he pulled the Soulblade from her chest before falling to his knees and vomiting.

Sky fell to the ground as well, gasping for air. She no longer felt the Soulblade's effects, but she was still terribly weakened by the experience, and losing too much blood.

"I can't die…" something inside her said. "It can't end like this…" thoughts of her family flashed through her mind. Donald, Goofy… Mickey, Riku and Hanna… Koji… Sora and Kairi…

"I can't die…" the voice inside her gasped as her vision blurred. "I have to live… I have to fight to save my family… have to fight… to fight…fight… Fight!!!"

Something inside her snapped suddenly, like a cage deep inside her soul had broken open, and something stepped--no, flowed out of it, filling her heart and her mind with darkness. Her thoughts seemed to fade away one by one. Names, memories, hopes, fears, all seemed to leave her, while the basest of instincts like survival and hatred remained and grew more intense within her heart than ever.

Will, after he had finished vomiting, looked up to see Sky's body darken, and the wound in her chest closed up. Suddenly, a dark energy shot from her body and consumed Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, pulling them to her, and it seemed as if her body absorbed them both.

In Sky's mind, she could feel their consciousnesses close to her own, but anything they felt aside from anger or fear was suppressed. In her dark, instinctually-driven state, she had all but imprisoned them inside her, drawing on their energy as well as the new energy that flowed through her. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, now round, yellow and empty, and her skin, hair and clothes were pitch-black. With an unnatural movement, reminiscent of a vampire rising from its coffin, she rose to her feet and crouched down like an animal, tilting her head to the side as she stared at Will.

Will stared back, shocked and confused at her current appearance. He cautiously moved to grab the Soulblade from where he had dropped it, but Sky jerked forward, moving strangely fast, and grabbed the Soulblade. With a growl, she threw it up and away from the asteroid, letting it float away through hyperspace.

Will was about to make a move, but Sky grabbed him by the collar and threw him through the air. He landed ten feet away from her, but she was on him again in an instant and she turned him on his back. She grew long, razor-sharp claws on her fingers and went to work, leaving deep cuts on his face and shoulders, before clasping her hands together and bringing them down like a club on his chest, knocking the wind out of him.

In her mind, Sky had no control. She could only act upon one, base thought: To kill the enemy that had tried to kill her. But as her strange burst of energy began to fade again, her hold on Brandy and Whiskers' consciousness began to dwindle, and they rebelled against her, desperately trying to make her stop. "Stop this," they would tell her, "you're killing him." But she couldn't stop.

Finally, however, the energy that gave Sky her strength disappeared just as suddenly as it had appeared, like a drug which gives a sudden boost of energy only to leave you drained minutes later. Sky's color returned to normal, and Brandy and Whiskers reappeared at her side, looking tired and confused, but otherwise unharmed. Sky fell to the ground, unconscious.

Brandy and Mr. Whiskers rushed to her, ignoring Will as he lay nearby.

"We have to get her some help," Brandy said, her voice shaky as she looked at Sky's blood-stained chest.

"I think I could heal her," Whiskers said, sounding equally afraid, "but her chest looks worse than anything I've tried to heal yet, and she's lost a lot of blood!"

"Do the best you can, then we'll get her somewhere someone can take better care of her." Whiskers nodded and did as Brandy ordered, casting a spell to cure her wound, but he feared he hadn't healed the flesh deep enough, or that there might have been further complications. But Brandy looked at the scarred tissue where the wound had been and nodded to him. She knew she would need more help, but she didn't want to worry herself or Whiskers about that at the moment, and together they carried Sky away.

"Gadget!" Brandy called, and once the mouse hopped out of the demolished ship she nodded towards Will's ship. "We're have to get out of here now!"

"Isn't this stealing?" Whiskers asked.

"Whiskers, he almost killed all of us. I think giving us his ship is the LEAST he can do."

"But are we just gonna leave him? I mean, he's evil, but we can't just let him rot here, can we?"

Before Brandy could reply, Gadget called out and pointed towards where Will had been laying a moment before. She frowned when she saw he had disappeared once again. "Looks like the choice has been taken out of our hands," Brandy grumbled, and she and Whiskers carried Sky into the ship, laying her gently in the back.

"Whiskers, stay here and take care of her," Brandy ordered, and she went to the cockpit, taking a seat at the controls. "Gadget, help me figure this thing out."

Gadget jumped to Brandy's shoulder. "Press that button," she told her. When she did, a screen lit up showing hyperspace routes to several worlds. "Golly, look at all of them!" Gadget stared in awe at the collection of worlds mapped out on the computer before her. "Maleficent must have spent the last twenty years documenting routes we've never even heard of!"

"We need to get Sky some help," Brandy reminded. "find the nearest world where someone can heal her."

Gadget looked through the listed routes and pointed one out. "There!" she said, and when Brandy saw it she sighed in relief.

"Alright," she said, "we know where to go, so let's go!" She activated the ship's engines and took off at full speed through hyperspace.

"Whatever you do, Sky," Brandy mumbled to herself, "don't you die on us…"

---

_Sky's face lit up, as an idea came to her, and she grabbed Koji's hand. "C'mon!" She said, all traces of her anger completely vanishing. "I wanna show you something cool!"_

_Sky pulled Koji away, and led him back to the cave. There, she showed him the carvings her parents had shown her, and the freshly carved picture of herself._

_"Isn't it the coolest?" She asked Koji._

_Koji just shrugged his shoulders. "They're pictures on the wall…"_

_Sky puffed her cheeks out angrily. "They are not! Mommy and Daddy drew them when they were kids!"_

_"How come Dad didn't draw one, too?"_

_"I dunno." Sky smiled. "But they drew this before they had their adventures, Koji! When they were kids like us."_

_Finally, Koji nodded. "Cool." He touched the wall gently. "Someday, I'll have an adventure, too."_

_Sky turned to him with an even bigger smile and giggled. "You're not gonna have one without me!"_

_"What? You're a girl, you'll get in my way."_

_"Nuh-uh! Mommy never got in the way, and she's a girl!"_

_Koji sighed. "Fine, you can come…"_

_Sky clapped her hands happily. "Promise?"_

_"Yeah, I promise. Someday, we'll go on an adventure, and be just like our parents!" Koji turned to her with a smile._

_Sky turned to look at her mother and father's pictures on the cave wall. "I can't wait," she said, "till we have our adventure, Koji…"_

---

With a groan, Sky awoke. She opened her eyes, just to shut them again in protest to the bright light before slowly opening them again, shading her face with her hand. When she looked around, she saw that she was in a clean, white room, laying in a soft bed. Her shirt and jeans had been replaced by a white nightgown and her hair was down. After a moment, she recognized the room as her own. That is, it was the room reserved for her during visits to Disney Castle.

"Disney Castle?" she asked herself. "But how did I get here?" Suddenly, the memory of her fight with Will replayed in her mind and she gasped. Quickly, she unbuttoned the front of her nightgown and inspected her chest. To her relief, there was no wound, but an odd black mark was in its place. The doorknob rattled and Sky quickly buttoned up again as the door opened. She smiled when she saw Daisy walk in, carrying a tray of food.

"You're awake!" Daisy cheered, and she set down the tray to rush over and hug Sky. "We were so worried about you when Brandy and Mr. Whiskers brought you here yesterday."

"Yesterday?" Sky asked. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "What exactly happened?"

Daisy sat down on the edge of Sky's bed and explained to her that Brandy and Whiskers had arrived the previous night, yelling for help. Immediately, Queen Minnie, Daisy, Donna and everyone else who heard them rushed to the gummi garage to find them carrying her, unconscious, out of a black gummi ship. Daisy mentioned the scar on her chest, and how Whiskers had healed her wound as best she could, but that it was deep, and still bleeding inside. She went on to recount how they had rushed her inside and Minnie had almost exhausted herself using her own, powerful magic to completely heal her, though that strange, black mark remained.

"Where are Brandy and Whiskers now?" Sky asked once Daisy had finished.

"They rested for awhile," Daisy explained, "and now they should be in the library giving the queen a full report. Believe me, Sky, when we saw the state you were in we all had a lot of questions."

Sky nodded. That was understandable. "Where are my clothes? I want to go see them."

"Your clothes were in pretty bad shape, too. We've sent them to be washed and repaired, but the hole in your shirt was pretty bad, and the blood stains…" Daisy shuddered, and Sky remembered how rare a sight like blood must be for the inhabitants of Disney Castle.

"Is there anything else I can wear for now?" she asked.

Daisy thought for a moment. "Hmm… Well, there is one thing…"

---

In the library, Brandy and Whiskers stood at attention before Queen Minnie, and Brandy finished recounting their mission so far, giving the most detail to their recent fight with Will, the Soulblade Maleficent had created, and especially about the way Sky had absorbed them and turned into… something.

Minnie nodded, her face betraying how troubled she was by the news. "The Anti-form…" she whispered.

"Auntie who?" Whiskers asked.

"The Anti-form," Minnie repeated. Twenty years ago, after Sora first acquired the power to use forms…" she shook her head. "There are others better suited to explain," she said. "At any rate, I'm very proud of the way you both handled this situation. Thanks to you, Sky is safe and sound."

Brandy frowned. "With all due respect, your majesty… if it weren't for us this wouldn't have happened." Minnie tilted her head to the side, a look of confusion on her face.

"Sky wouldn't have gotten hurt if we'd been there to help her," said Whiskers.

Minnie shook her head again. "You had been incapacitated by the Soulblade. You did nothing wrong."

Brandy and Whiskers remained silent, but when they heard the door open they turned around and smiled to see who walked in.

"Sky!!!" they both shouted, and tackled her in a hug. Sky laughed and hugged them back. "We were so worried!" Whiskers cried.

Sky smiled and patted him on the head. "But I'm okay," she said, "thanks to you guys. Hey, where's Gadget?"

"She's in the gummi garage, visiting Chip and Dale," Brandy explained. Then, for the first time, she took a good look at Sky and laughed. "What are you wearing?"

Sky blushed, looking annoyed by Brandy's laughing. The only clothes Daisy could find for her was a dress Sky usually wore when she and her parents visited Disney Castle on important business. The last time she'd worn it was when they had to meet with Prince Edward and Princess Nancy of Andalasia. It was light purple, with white lace around the collar, sleeves and the hem of the skirt.

"Fancy duds," Whiskers said as he looked at the dress. "Oh, can we dress up, too?" Brandy promptly smacked him.

"It was all Daisy had for me to wear while my other clothes are getting cleaned," Sky explained. When Minnie walked over Sky gave her a quick hug.

"I'm so glad to see you back on your feet," said Minnie. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Sky replied. "But there's a weird mark on my chest…"

Minnie nodded. "I tried to get rid of it, but it just wouldn't go away… Sky, do you remember what happened after William used the Soulblade on you?"

Sky thought for a moment, but could only shake her head. "I just remember something taking over my mind… something bad… Aunt Minnie, what was it?"

Minnie paused a moment, a thoughtful look on her face. "The only person who can answer that… is Yen Sid."

"Yen Sid?" Sky asked and Minnie nodded. "Then that's our next stop."

"You can't just go off like that," Minnie told her, "not till you've rested. You've had quite an ordeal, Sky."

"But I have to get back to looking for Maleficent's castle," Sky protested.

Minnie patted her hand gently. "Your parents wouldn't want you to endanger yourself, Sky. Please, just stay and rest a bit. We've already contacted Leon and told him everything, and they agree you should rest here before continuing."

Sky sighed in defeat. "Oh, alright…"

Minnie smiled. "In the meantime, Sky, why don't you head to the garden? There's someone waiting to see you."

"Who?"

"You'll see, dear. It's a surprise." Minnie gave Sky a warm smile and turned to Brandy and Mr. Whiskers. "Thank you for your report, Captain Brandy, Magician Whiskers." Brandy and Mr. Whiskers gave a salute and followed Sky as she left the library.

The group headed for the garden, as Minnie had suggested, and saw Donna standing out on the grass, talking to a tall, dog-like young man in a red shirt and jeans. When Sky saw him she jumped for joy, letting out an excited yell before running to him, hugging him tightly. "Max!" she cried happily. "I've missed you!"

Max laughed as she wrapped her arms around him and hugged her back. "Hey, Sky," he said. "I missed you too, kid."

"Thank goodness you're awake," said Donna, putting her arms around them both. "We were so worried!"

Sky pulled back, smiling at them both. "I'm sorry I worried you two."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Max told her. "As long as you're okay."

Brandy, standing nearby with Whiskers, loudly cleared her throat to gain Sky's attention. "Excuse me," she said, "but I believe we have yet to be introduced…?"

"Brandy, that's Sky," Whiskers told her. "Don't you remember?" Brandy just elbowed Whiskers in the gut.

"Oh, sorry guys," Sky told them. "This is Max."

"So, you guys must be Brandy and Mr. Whiskers," Max said, holding out his hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh…?" Brandy asked, a flirtatious smile on her face as she shook Max's hand. "Such as…?"

"That you've been a big help to Sky while she's been looking for our parents. Oh, and that people keep mistaking you for my dad."

Brandy's smile quickly faded into an annoyed frown.

"Oh, so your dad is Goofy?" Mr. Whiskers asked.

Max nodded. "Yup, that's my dad."

"But what are you doing here?" Sky asked him. "I thought you were at school."

"I was," Max explained, "but when I heard what happened I came home as soon as I could."

"You'll be staying for awhile this time, won't you, Sky?" Donna asked.

Sky sighed. "I'd like to get back to looking for our parents, but Aunt Minnie insists I stay and rest up."Donna smiled. "That's great! It'll be just like the old days, then!"

"Old days?" Whiskers asked.

Sky nodded. "When we were kids, Donna, Max and I were like the three musketeers. We used to play 'Sora, Donald and Goofy' together all the time."

Max laughed. "When I wasn't getting you girls out of trouble, that is."

"That's what you get for being the oldest, Max," Donna teased. "Hey, let's go grab some ice cream and hang out, like we used to do. We all have some catching up to do."

"That's a great idea," said Sky.

"Yeah," Brandy agreed. "I could use a snack."

The group was about to leave when Sky stopped. "Wait, shouldn't we check on Gadget and see about the gummi ship?" she asked.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Whiskers told her. "Brandy and I can take care of that. You go ahead and have fun with Max and Donna."

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! You go have fun catching up on old times."

Sky smiled. "Aw, thanks, guys. I'll bring you back some ice cream, okay?"

"Sure. Now go have fun, you crazy kids, you." Sky smiled again and waved as she left with Max and Donna. Whiskers waved back, smiling, till he turned to see Brandy frowning at him, her arms folded. "What?"

"What do you mean, 'what?'" Brandy replied. "You just told Sky to go off and leave us."

"What? She's had a rough time, why shouldn't she relax with her old friends?"

Brandy sighed. "I guess so…"

"Aw, don't tell me you're jealous of Donna and Max, are you?"

"No. Why would I be? Sure, Sky's known them her whole life, but she's been through a lot with us, too, right?"

"Exactly," Whiskers told her. "She's not gonna like us any less just cause she's hanging out with her old friends. Now come on, let's check on Gadget."

Brandy sighed again as she followed Whiskers toward the Gummi Garage. "When did you get to be the voice of reason?"

"I know, scary, isn't it?"

"Very. Please go back to being the idiot of the group?"

"Alrighty."


End file.
